Published:
How can Europe produce graphite for lithium-ion batteries in a cleaner, less energy-intensive way that is less dependant on non-European supply chains—while also using more recycled material? In a new joint project, partners from industry and research are developing new technologies for processing natural and recycled graphite along the entire process chain. Friedrich Schiller University Jena is responsible for the development and systematic evaluation of a novel purification process using chlorine gas as a potentially more environmentally friendly alternative to established processes.
The project, entitled »USE-G: Environmentally Friendly and Safe Graphite Extraction for Europe’s Battery Industry«, has a total budget of 1.7 million euros and is primarily funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. The funding will run for three years.
Graphite is a key component of lithium-ion batteries, accounting for a significant proportion of the active materials in the anode. For industrial processing into battery-grade material—in particular purification, coating and shaping—Europe has so far been heavily dependant on non-European technologies and supply chains. USE-G aims to address this issue and demonstrate a European-controlled processing route that does not require particularly problematic chemicals, reduces energy consumption and integrates recycling streams more effectively.
In the project, the University of Jena is leading the work on chlorine-based purification of graphite at elevated temperatures. The aim is to test a method that could be considered a cleaner alternative to purification with hydrofluoric acid and at the same time is less energy-intensive than high-temperature processes used in parts of the industry. Although chlorine-based purification approaches have been proven in other applications, their potential for natural and recycled graphite streams has not yet been fully explored. The project will therefore systematically evaluate the technology for both material sources for the first time.
»Our focus is to explore chlorine-gas purification at elevated temperatures as a cleaner alternative to hydrofluoric acid and a less energy-intensive option than thermal purification. This research could open up new avenues for Europe to reduce environmental impacts without compromising material quality«, says Dr Martin Oschatz, Professor at the Center for Energy and Environmental Chemistry at Friedrich Schiller University Jena.
In parallel with the development of the purification process, industry partner H.C. Starck Tungsten GmbH is working on recovering graphite from the so-called »black mass« that is produced in the battery recycling chain. Although graphite accounts for a significant proportion of the black mass, it has hardly been reused to date. The aim of the project is to process graphite, which is often lost in conventional processes, and feed it back into the supply chain in future, thereby contributing to a genuine circular economy.
Another company involved, Rain Carbon Germany GmbH, is also developing new, more sustainable carbon coating materials and related processes to improve the electrochemical performance of graphite anodes and reduce the ecological footprint of manufacturing.
The Canadian company Northern Graphite will supply natural graphite material and is responsible for milling, shaping and battery testing, among other things, as part of the project. Over the course of the project, natural and recycled graphite will initially be processed separately in order to determine baseline levels for purity and performance. In a later step, the partners will examine whether both streams can be mixed to form a unified anode material—with the aim of creating a European product that can be qualified by cell and battery cell manufacturers in the future. All work will take place in Germany at the respective partners' sites.