Scientists develop a way to restore aging EV batteries without breaking them down into raw materials
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The big picture: Cornell University researchers have developed a way to recycle lithium-ion batteries without breaking them down into raw materials first. Their method, called Direct Electrode-to-Electrode Regeneration, or DEER, restores worn battery electrodes so they can be used again. The results suggest that some EV batteries could be refurbished at lower cost and with less energy than conventional recycling methods, though the process will not work for every degraded cell.
The work focuses on a common problem in aging lithium-ion batteries: buildup on the electrodes. As batteries are charged and discharged, a layer known as the solid electrolyte interphase, or SEI, grows on their surfaces. Some SEI is necessary, but too much of it slows the movement of electrons and reduces battery capacity.
In the Cornell process, researchers take apart used cells...
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