Examination and Development of Sustainable Recycling Technologies for Effective Critical Mineral Recovery from Batteries
Project overview
This research project focuses on developing sustainable recycling methods for used batteries, particularly lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) or lithium-metal batteries. The aim is to address critical issues in the battery industry and for consumers.
This study explores innovative pyrometallurgical processes, chemical separation techniques and other recycling technologies to efficiently recover valuable minerals like lithium and cobalt. Future applications may extend to recovering other minerals such as nickel, manganese, lead, cadmium, aluminum and copper, with the aim of using these materials in producing new batteries.
Anticipated outcomes include the development of cutting-edge recycling technologies, reduced energy consumption in recycling processes, and a significant decrease in the environmental impact of battery disposal. With a target of achieving 90 per cent efficient lithium recovery, this research promotes responsible battery management and resource conservation through a circular economy approach, benefitting both the environment and society.
Key project details
| Principal investigator | Zhi Chen, professor, Building, Civil, and Environmental Engineering, Concordia University |
Co-principal investigators |
Gaixia Zhang, professor, École de technologie supérieure (ETS); Jinguang Hu, associate professor, Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Calgary; Catherine Mulligan, professor, Building, Civil, and Environmental Engineering, and director, Institute for Water, Energy and Sustainable Systems, Concordia University; Sixu Deng, assistant professor, Chemical and Materials Engineering, Concordia University; Fariborz Haghighat, professor, Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Concordia University; Qin Xin, research scientist, CanmetENERGY |
Research collaborators |
Xiaolei Wang, Zeyu Yang |
| Non-academic partners | CanmetEnergy, SepPure Inc., AutoX Inc., Dagua Inc. |
| Research Keywords | Electrification, recycle, critical mineral, circular economy, battery, green solvents |
| Budget | Cash: $200,000 In-Kind: $260,000 |
Publications:
J. Goudarzi et al., “Sustainable Recovery of Critical Metals from Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries Using Deep Eutectic Solvents,” Batteries, vol. 11, no. 9, p. 340, Sep. 2025, doi: 10.3390/batteries11090340.
Z. Yang, Z. Chen, and K. Lee, “Development, Testing, and Application of an Enhanced Oil Spill Model for Ice-Covered Waters (OSMT-Ice) through Multiscale Field Experiments,” Environ. Sci. Technol., vol. 59, no. 35, pp. 18870–18880, Sep. 2025, doi: 10.1021/acs.est.5c05850.
H. Yan et al., “Study on optimization of prediction models for small-scale oil spill area: Impacts of wind and waves,” Process Safety and Environmental Protection, vol. 201, p. 107595, Sep. 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.psep.2025.107595.
X. Wang et al., “Konjac glucomannan (KGM) aerogel immobilized microalgae: A new way for marine oil spills remediation,” Marine Pollution Bulletin, vol. 218, p. 118158, Sep. 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.118158.
X. Wang et al., “Enhanced biodegradation of crude oil by phosphate-solubilizing bacteria Bacillus subtilis PSB-1: Overcoming soluble phosphorus deficiency,” Journal of Environmental Management, vol. 391, p. 126426, Sep. 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.126426.
S. Sajedi, C. An, and Z. Chen, “Unveiling the hidden chronic health risks of nano- and microplastics in single-use plastic water bottles: A review,” Journal of Hazardous Materials, vol. 495, p. 138948, Sep. 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.138948.
E. A. Elobaid, O. Yigiterhan, E. M. A. S. Al-Ansari, Z. Chen, Y. E. Mohieldeen, and R. Abdalla, “Ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in the marine sediments associated with the petroleum hydrocarbon industry in the central Arabian Gulf,” Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances, vol. 19, p. 100749, Aug. 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.hazadv.2025.100749.
L. Ding et al., “Study on preparation, photocatalytic performance and degradation mechanism of Bi2WO6/Bi2S3/g-C3N4 composite,” Inorganic Chemistry Communications, vol. 178, p. 114542, Aug. 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.inoche.2025.114542.
Z. Yang, Z. Chen, and K. Lee, “GOOSM: A GIS-based offshore oil spill management tool for enhanced response and preparedness,” Marine Pollution Bulletin, vol. 216, p. 118009, Jul. 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.118009.
Z. Wang, Z. Chen, I. Shahid, Z. Asif, and F. Haghighat, “Indoor Air Quality Assessment Through IoT Sensor Technology: A Montreal–Qatar Case Study,” Atmosphere, vol. 16, no. 5, p. 574, May 2025, doi: 10.3390/atmos16050574.
Y. Gao et al., “The removal of high Se(IV) and Cd(II) concentrations in sulfur autotrophic reactor based on the ‘hibernation-like microbial survival strategy,’” Journal of Hazardous Materials, vol. 485, p. 136944, Mar. 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.136944.
J. Fu et al., “Coupled electron transfer and community assembly of the bi-functional PMo12@MIL-88A (Fe) based on surface-confinement microenvironments to accelerate nitrate bioreduction,” Biochemical Engineering Journal, vol. 215, p. 109608, Mar. 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.bej.2024.109608.
A. A. Dar et al., “Sustainable Extraction of Critical Minerals from Waste Batteries: A Green Solvent Approach in Resource Recovery,” Batteries, vol. 11, no. 2, p. 51, Jan. 2025, doi: 10.3390/batteries11020051.
D. He, X. Zhang, Y. Liu, Z. Chen, X. Nie, and K. Wang, “Navigating the Dynamics: Modeling of Wave Propagation at Taiping Bay Port for Enhanced Design and Management,” JMSE, vol. 13, no. 1, p. 89, Jan. 2025, doi: 10.3390/jmse13010089.
J. Yan, Q. Luo, B. Zhu, Z. Chen, and Q. Chen, “Radiation tolerance and biodegradation performance of a marine bacterium Acinetobacter sp. Y9 in radioactive composite oil‐contaminated wastewater,” Water Environment Research, vol. 97, no. 1, p. e70005, Jan. 2025, doi: 10.1002/wer.70005.
Y. Hao et al., “Study on the mechanism of regulating micromolar Fe utilization and promoting denitrification by guanosine monophosphate (GMP) based multi-signal functional material Hematin@Fe/GMP,” Journal of Environmental Management, vol. 373, p. 123610, Jan. 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123610.
J. Fu et al., “Amorphous Cu/Fe nanoparticles with tandem intracellular and extracellular electron capacity for enhancing denitrification performance and recovery of co-contaminant suppressed denitrification,” Bioresource Technology, vol. 416, p. 131812, Jan. 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2024.131812.
Z. Du et al., “Effect of konjac glucomannan aerogel‐immobilized Chlorella vulgaris LH‐1 on oil‐contaminated seawater remediation and endogenous bacterial community diversity,” Water Environment Research, vol. 97, no. 1, p. e70009, Jan. 2025, doi: 10.1002/wer.70009.
H. Bi et al., “Oil spills in coastal regions of the Arctic and Subarctic: Environmental impacts, response tactics, and preparedness,” Science of The Total Environment, vol. 958, p. 178025, Jan. 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.178025.
H. Wang, L. Zhang, J. Ji, A. Wang, J. Wen, and Z. Chen, “Synergistic adsorption mechanism of heavy metals on zinc oxide/phosphate modified gel–biochar composites,” Anal. Methods, vol. 17, no. 15, pp. 2948–2960, 2025, doi: 10.1039/D4AY01488J.
H. Bi, C. N. Mulligan, K. Lee, B. Zhang, Z. Chen, and C. An, “Nanotechnology for oil spill response and cleanup in coastal regions,” Environ. Sci.: Nano, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 41–47, 2025, doi: 10.1039/D4EN00954A.
Z. Yang, Z. Chen, Q. Xin, and K. Lee, “Assessment of risk for aromatic hydrocarbons resulting from subsea Blowouts: A case study in eastern Canada,” Environment International, vol. 194, p. 109136, Dec. 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.109136.
Y. Hao et al., “Fe/GMP functional nanomaterial enhancing the denitrification efficiency by bi-signal regulation: Electron transfer and microbial community,” Bioresource Technology, vol. 413, p. 131533, Dec. 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2024.131533.
S. Zhou et al., “An integrated environmental and economic assessment for the disposal of food waste from grocery retail stores towards resource recovery,” Environ Sci Pollut Res, vol. 31, no. 54, pp. 63325–63342, Oct. 2024, doi: 10.1007/s11356-024-35402-3.
A. Ahmed Dar, Z. Chen, M. F. Sardar, and C. An, “Navigating the nexus: climate dynamics and microplastics pollution in coastal ecosystems,” Environmental Research, vol. 252, p. 118971, Jul. 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118971.
Z. Chen, Z. Yang, K. Lee, and Y. Lu, “Managing deepsea oil spills through a systematic modeling approach,” Journal of Environmental Management, vol. 360, p. 121118, Jun. 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121118.
H. Song et al., “Quantification and uncertainty of global upland soil methane sinks: Processes, controls, model limitations, and improvements,” Earth-Science Reviews, vol. 252, p. 104758, May 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.earscirev.2024.104758
Y. Zhu, H. Cao, Z. Gao, and Z. Chen, “A DiffeRential Evolution Adaptive Metropolis (DREAM)-based inverse model for continuous release source identification in river pollution incidents: Quantitative evaluation and sensitivity analysis,” Environmental Pollution, vol. 347, p. 123448, Apr. 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123448.
H. Zhang et al., “Inoculation of chromium-tolerant bacterium LBA108 to enhance resistance in radish ( Raphanus sativus L.) and combined remediation of chromium-contaminated soil,” Environ. Sci.: Processes Impacts, vol. 26, no. 6, pp. 1064–1076, 2024, doi: 10.1039/D3EM00556A.
Accepted publications in national and international conferences:
Z. Chen, “The escalating demand for critical metals such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel, driven by the proliferation of lithium-ion batteries, necessitates sustainable and efficient recycling methods,” presented at the the Third International Conference on Olivines for Rechargeable Batteries (OREBA III), Jul. 2025.
Z. Chen, “Sustainable metal recovery from spent LIBs using green DES,” presented at the the Third International Conference on Olivines for Rechargeable Batteries (OREBA III), Jul. 2025.
Z. Chen, “Green solvent-assisted mineral recovery from lithium-ion batteries: Insights into temperature, time, and calcination with electronics applications,” presented at the Volt-Age Annual Conference, Mar. 2025.
Zhi Chen: GCS Research Excellence Award - Tier I, Concordia University, April 6, 2025.
Research focus
Green solvent innovation
This research delves into the innovation of environmentally benign solvents, particularly deep eutectic solvents (DES), to revolutionize battery recycling practices. While DES offer versatility in composition, the optimal formulation for efficient metal recovery remains elusive. Through rigorous investigation, the research aims to address this critical knowledge gap for sustainable battery production.
Organic binders
Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are confronted with the impediment posed by organic binders, notably polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), complicating their recycling processes. The research team endeavors to confront this challenge by leveraging collective expertise to devise strategies for the effective separation of cathode materials from their counterparts.
Low recovery rate
Despite the widespread demand for lithium-ion batteries, their global recycling rates remain inadequate. This research initiative aims to address this discrepancy by integrating principles of the circular economy. By enhancing recycling rates, we aspire to promote a more sustainable approach to battery utilization.
Non-academic partners
Thank you to our non-academic partners for your support and trust.
Volt-Age is funded by a $123-million grant from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund.
