RHINOCEROS - Batteries reuse and direct production of high performances cathodic and anodic materials and other raw materials from batteries recycling using low cost and environmentally friendly technologies 

ID Call: HORIZON-CL5-2021-D2-01-06: Sustainable, safe and efficient recycling processes (Batteries Partnership)

Sapienza's role in the project: Other beneficiary

Scientific supervisor for Sapienza: Pietro Altimari

Co-leader for Sapienza: Giorgio Schiavi

Department: Chemistry

Project start date: September 1, 2022

Project end date: August 31, 2026

Project Abstract

The Rhinoceros project aims to develop sustainable technologies for reusing and recycling electric vehicle batteries and stationary systems. The project will involve the realisation of an intelligent robotic system for sorting and disassembling batteries. The robotic system will be able to identify and separate disused electric vehicle batteries that can be directly reused in 'second life' applications in stationary storage systems. For batteries that cannot be directly reused, various recycling processes will be optimised to recover all materials in the batteries. In this context, Sapienza will lead the development of a lithium-ion battery recycling process that first involves the selective recovery of lithium and then, from lithium-free powder, the synthesis of next-generation electrode materials: lithium-manganese rich and graphene. The methodology for synthesising these materials that will be developed makes it possible to rule out the need for complete separation of the different elements contained in the electrode powder. Indeed, lithium-ion battery recycling processes currently involve a complex and costly separation of the various metals in the cathode fraction (Li, Co, Ni, Mn). By excluding this separation, the proposed strategy will reduce the production costs of cathode materials from end-of-life batteries and the environmental impact of recycling processes (e.g. reduction of reagent quantities and energy consumption required for separation). In addition, the simultaneous conversion of the graphite of the anodic fraction into graphene, a high-value-added material used in new-generation batteries, will increase the proposed process's competitiveness.