# Glue used in batteries makes recycling hard, so engineers designed one that comes off in water

Source: [Earth.com](https://www.earth.com/science/glue-used-in-batteries-makes-recycling-hard-so-engineers-designed-one-that-comes-off-in-water/) · 2026-11-12 · Earth & Climate
Page: https://themorning.science/story/glue-used-in-batteries-makes-recycling-hard-so-engineers-designed-one-that-comes-8081680f9cd77409
Kind: research · Impact: medium

## In 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.

## Coverage

- [Glue used in batteries makes recycling hard, so engineers designed one that comes off in water](https://www.earth.com/science/glue-used-in-batteries-makes-recycling-hard-so-engineers-designed-one-that-comes-off-in-water/) — Earth.com, 2026-11-12

Tags: batteries, recycling, lithium-ion, adhesives, sustainability

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Brief generated by AI (claude-haiku-5-5) from the reporting listed under Coverage. Headlines belong to their publishers. The Morning Science – https://themorning.science