Research
Glue used in batteries makes recycling hard, so engineers designed one that comes off in water
Earth.com · By Luis Arrais ·
The Brief
- The glue inside a lithium-ion battery is a tiny share of its weight but shapes how the battery is built and how hard it is to take apart for recycling.
- In most batteries this glue contains fluorine, and removing it at end of life typically takes high heat or other harsh treatment.
- Engineers have designed a glue that comes off in water, which could make battery disassembly easier.
Why it matters
Adhesives that are hard to remove slow battery recycling, so a water-removable glue could make recovering materials from end-of-life lithium-ion batteries simpler and less energy-intensive.
Who’s affected
- battery engineers and recyclers
- anyone with an interest in lithium-ion battery recycling
- #batteries
- #recycling
- #lithium-ion
- #adhesives
- #sustainability
The glue inside a lithium-ion battery is a tiny share of its weight, yet it shapes how the battery gets built and how hard it is to take it apart for recycling. In most batteries that glue contains fluorine, and removing it at the end of a battery’s life takes high heat or…