HolE-LIB – Developing a Holistic Ecosystem for Sustainable Repurposing and/or Recycling of Lithium-ion Batteries (LIBs) in Norway and the EU
HolE-LIB – Developing a Holistic Ecosystem for Sustainable Repurposing and/or Recycling of Lithium-ion Batteries (LIBs) in Norway and the EU
HoLE LIB
From a Norwegian perspective, the battery value chain can be seen as an exceptional sustainable value creation opportunity primarily based on Norway's comparative advantage with a competence-driven materials sector based on renewable power.
The sustainability depends in part on the ability to reuse and recycle batteries and the compounds they contain. Research into factors which affect customer acceptance in case of repurposed batteries is so far extremely limited.
On the other hand, a robust recycling process needs to be developed that can cater to different battery types, designs, chemistries, etc. for competitive disruption of the battery market. Currently, there exists no techno-economically efficient Li recycling process and further, the graphite from lithium-ion battery (LIB) anodes is not recycled.
Development of innovative separation processes are expected to positively impact the circular economy and enable sustainable business model (SBM) innovation.
The project involves specialists within engineering, design and economics through a multi-disciplinary research collaboration across six departments and four faculties at NTNU.
The current project will develop a holistic understanding of the fate of end-of-life batteries by addressing technical, economic, and design perspectives along the battery value chain, complemented by evaluation of sustainable business model scenarios within reuse, repurposing and recycling.
Sustainable Business Models of Repurposed and Recycled LIBs
PhD Candidate
Supervisors
Description
This project will address how advancements in the repurposing and recycling of LIBs can facilitate sustainable business model innovation in the electric vehicle (EV) sector. Such innovations and other changes in the value chain of LIBs can lead to new business models, support business model transformation, diversification, or acquisition.
Design for Sustainability – User Acceptance of Repurposed LIBs
PhD Candidate
Supervisors
Description
Batteries evoke emotions of both convenience, cheapness, sustainability but also uncertainty, disgust and even fear. The main focus here will be on consumer and market research to understand customer acceptance of repurposed end-of-life batteries in various household/home/cabin application contexts.
Closing the Battery Loop Using Pyro-hydro Metallurgy
Post Doc
Supervisors
Ragnhild Elizabeth Aune
Sulalit Bandyopadhyay
Description
This project aims to push for closing the battery materials loop by converting black mass into a mixed metallic product directly suitable for cathode remanufacturing. Using combination of pyro and hydrometallurgy, the focus will be to maximize recycling critical materials towards circular economy and resource efficiency.
Development of Green Solvents for Metals Recovery from End-of-Life LIBs
PhD Candidate
Supervisors
Hanna Knuutila
Sulalit Bandyopadhyay
Description
The aim is to develop solvents and sorbents for selective Li recovery. The focus is on characterization, experimental evaluation of selectivity, extraction performance, feasibility study of the process and possibilities to recycle the materials. The specific research area is Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) and recycling of Electric Vehicle Lithium Ion Batteries with a focus on Lithium recovery.
Recovering Materials from End-of-Life LIBs using Green Chemistry
PhD Candidate
Supervisors
Pshem Kowalczuk
Sulalit Bandyopadhyay
Description
The focus will be on developing environmentally sustainable recovery of the metallic and non-metallic components from end-of-life LIBs using physical and chemical methods. Of primary interest, is recovery of graphite and leaching of metals mediated by environmentally benign reagents and purification by foam flotation.
Sustainable Business Models of Repurposed and Recycled Batteries
Conference Papers
Kishita, Yusuke; Boks, Casper; Proff, Moritz; Uhlig, Edith; Ahmed, Saad; Pantelatos, Leander Spyridon. (2024) Towards sustainable circular EV battery value chains: A review and comparative analysis between Germany, Norway, and Japan . IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)
Ahmed, S., Verhulst, E. , & Boks, C.(2023). Sustainable Business Models for the Second life of EV Lithium ion Batteries in an Ecosystem context: A Review. In PROCEEDINGS 5th PLATE Conference
Ahmed, S., Verhulst, E. , & Boks, C.(2023). Second Life of EV Lithium ion Batteries from a Sustainable Business Model Perspective. In PROCEEDINGS EcoDesign Conference (In press)
Seminars/Presentation
PEC Annual Days 2023 Poster Presentation
Greenlunch Seminar 2023
Public Dissemination
PEC Annual Days 2023 Poster Presentation
Student Projects/Course work
Building sustainable solutions for the lithium ion battery value chain in Norway (TIØ4856)
Design for Sustainability User Acceptance of Repurposed EV LIBs
Conference Papers
Kishita, Yusuke; Boks, Casper; Proff, Moritz; Uhlig, Edith; Ahmed, Saad; Pantelatos, Leander Spyridon. (2024) Towards sustainable circular EV battery value chains: A review and comparative analysis between Germany, Norway, and Japan . IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)
Pantelatos, L. S., Boks, C., & Verhulst, E. (2023). A Review of Repurposing Lithium-ion Batteries for Household Applications. In PROCEEDINGS 5th PLATE Conference
Pantelatos, L. S., Boks, C., & Verhulst, E. (2023). Repusposing Lithium-ion Batteries for the Household Context: An Industry investigation in Norway. In PROCEEDINGS EcoDesgin Conference (In press)
Seminars/Presentation
PHD night IxDA Trondheim 2024 - Presentation
PEC Annual Days 2024 - Oral Presentation and Poster Presentation
Arctic Circles Nord Universitet Stjørdal 2024 - Presentation
PEC Annual Days 2023 - Poster Presentation
Public Dissemination
Presentation at NTNU Kveld: Vil Norge drukne i brukte bilbatterier?
Student Projects/Course work
Jaime Jaimes, A. F. (2022). Sustainable Second-Life for EV Batteries (TPD4500 Design 9, NTNU)
Master’s Thesis
Jaime Jaimes, A. F. (2023). A Speculative Perspective in the Future of Second-life Electric Vehicle Batteries alternatives
Kaarud, A.B. (2024) (Design for User Acceptance of Repurposed Batteries) (IN PROGRESS)
Closing the Battery Loop Using Pyro-Hydro Metallury
Conference Papers
Olsen, A.M., Bandyopadhyay, S., Arnberg, L., and Aune, R.E., Characterization of Black Mass After Different Pre-treatment Processes for Optimized Metal Recovery, In: TMS 2024 153rd Annual Meeting & Exhibition Supplemental Proceedings, TMS 2024, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series. Springer, Cham. (2024) pp. 389-408. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-50349-8_34
Ibrahim, M., Arnberg, L., and Aune, R.E., Understanding the Transformation of Battery-based Black Mass Through Different Pre-treatment Processes, In: Silicon for the Chemical and Solar Industry XVII Proceedings, Trondheim, Norway, September 10-13, 2024
Seminars/Presentation
Aune, R.E., Recycling Li-Ion Batteries (LIBs) - A Crucial Step Towards Sustainability, RMW17 (The 17th Workshop on Reactive Metal Processing), MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Cambridge, Boston, USA, March 8-9, 2024
Student Projects/Course work
Assessment of Critical Raw Materials Recovery from End-of-Life Electrical and Electronic Products
Peyriller, Lauriane Nathalie Arwen. Exploring the Impact of Pre-treatment Processes on the Characterisation of Black Mass for Enhanced Metal Recovery from Lithium-Ion Batteries (LIBs)
Development of Green Solvents for Metals Recovery from EOL LIBs
Journal Articles
Recovery of lithium from oxalic acid leachate produced from black mass of spent electric vehicle Li-ion batteries, Journal article 2024- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceja.2024.100648
Direct lithium extraction (DLE) methods and their potential in Li-ion battery recycling, Journal article 2025- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2024.131315
Seminars/Presentation
Presentation at MoZEES annual meeting Autumn 2023, completed a 2 months MoZEES pre-project on 'Utilizing Industrial Wastes for Low-Cost Battery Cathode Production' https://mozees.no/mozees-preproject-utilizing-industrial-wastes-for-low-cost-battery-cathode-production/
Research presentation (by Erik Prasetyo) at Hydrometallurgy Seminar in Stavanger Norway 12-13 March 2024 'Extraction of Lithium from Leachate Produced from Oxalic Acid Leaching of Black Mass'
Public Dissemination
Presentation at NTNU Kveld: Vil Norge drukne i brukte bilbatterier?
Student Projects/Course work
Lithium extraction with LMO adsorbent and design of adsorption column, Student: Jørgen Kvernes Gården, Autumn 2023
Master’s Thesis
Recovery of lithium from lithium-ion batteries (LiBs) by precipitation in form of Li3PO4 using different reagents, Student: Nicolas LUBINEAU, Autumn 2023
Recovering Materials from EOL LIBs using Green Chemistry
Master’s Thesis
LFP Battery recycling
Sulalit Bandyopadhyay Lectures
Presentation at NTNU Kveld: Vil Norge drukne i brukte bilbatterier?
Hydrometallurgical Routes for EV Battery Recycling, May 2023, School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University
Recirculation of Electric Vehicle (EV) Batteries, Feb 2024, Det Norske Videnskaps-Akademi
Hvor miljøvennlig elbilbatterier blir avhenger av gjenbruk, 2023
Recovering Values from Electric Vehicle Batteries, Sep 2023, Hyfer Science Festival
Hydrometallurgy seminar 2025 - Presented by Sulait and Chiedza
2024
- PhD candidate Chiedza Thelma Nzuma has joined our team from March 2024.
- PhD candidate Amalie My Olsen has decided to leave her position.
2023
- On 20th February, we presented our research at NTNU Kveld. The event name was titled 'Vil Norge drukne i brukte bilbatterier? Hvordan lykkes med resirkulering av batterier?'.
- On 6th December, the PhD candidates Saad Ahmed and Leander Pantelatos, and Project member Casper Boks visited 4R Energy in Namie, Japan along with a delegation from Japan and Germany.
- On 31st May - 2nd of June, PhD candidates Saad Ahmed and Leander Pantelatos presented their research at the Plate Conference 2023 at Aalto University, Finland.
PhD projects
The research work will involve development of solvents for selective Li recovery at low pH. The focus will be on experimental evaluation of selectivity and extraction performance of selected solvents, experimental characterization of solvent and feasibility study of the process, including possibilities to recycle the solvent.
Department of Chemical Engineering
PhD candidate
Supervisors
This project aims to push for closing the battery materials loop by converting black mass into a mixed metallic product directly suitable for cathode remanufacturing. Using combination of pyro and hydrometallurgy, the focus will be to maximize recycling critical materials towards circular economy and resource efficiency.
Post Doc
Supervisors
Ragnhild Elizabeth Aune
Sulalit Bandyopadhyay
Conference Papers
Olsen, A.M., Bandyopadhyay, S., Arnberg, L., and Aune, R.E., Characterization of Black Mass After Different Pre-treatment Processes for Optimized Metal Recovery, In: TMS 2024 153rd Annual Meeting & Exhibition Supplemental Proceedings, TMS 2024, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series. Springer, Cham. (2024) pp. 389-408. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-50349-8_34
Ibrahim, M., Arnberg, L., and Aune, R.E., Understanding the Transformation of Battery-based Black Mass Through Different Pre-treatment Processes, In: Silicon for the Chemical and Solar Industry XVII Proceedings, Trondheim, Norway, September 10-13, 2024
Seminars/Presentation
Aune, R.E., Recycling Li-Ion Batteries (LIBs) - A Crucial Step Towards Sustainability, RMW17 (The 17th Workshop on Reactive Metal Processing), MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Cambridge, Boston, USA, March 8-9, 2024
Student Projects/Course work
Assessment of Critical Raw Materials Recovery from End-of-Life Electrical and Electronic Products
Peyriller, Lauriane Nathalie Arwen. Exploring the Impact of Pre-treatment Processes on the Characterisation of Black Mass for Enhanced Metal Recovery from Lithium-Ion Batteries (LIBs)
The focus will be on developing environmentally sustainable recovery of the metallic and non-metallic components from end-of-life LIBs using physical and chemical methods. Of primary interest, is recovery of graphite and leaching of metals mediated by environmentally benign reagents and purification by foam flotation.
PhD candidate
Supervisor
Pshem Kowalczuk
Sulalit Bandyopadhyay
Master’s Thesis
LFP Battery recycling
Batteries evoke emotions of both convenience, cheapness, sustainability but also uncertainty, disgust and even fear. The main focus here will be on consumer and market research to understand customer acceptance of repurposed end-of-life batteries in various household/home/cabin application contexts.
PhD candidate
Supervisors
Conference Papers
Pantelatos, L. S., Boks, C., & Verhulst, E. (2023). A Review of Repurposing Lithium-ion Batteries for Household Applications. In PROCEEDINGS 5th PLATE Conference
Pantelatos, L. S., Boks, C., & Verhulst, E. (2023). Repusposing Lithium-ion Batteries for the Household Context: An Industry investigation in Norway. In PROCEEDINGS EcoDesgin Conference (In press)
Seminars/Presentation
PEC Annual Days 2023 - Poster Presentation
Public Dissemination
Presentation at NTNU Kveld: Vil Norge drukne i brukte bilbatterier?
Student Projects/Course work
Jaime Jaimes, A. F. (2022). Sustainable Second-Life for EV Batteries (TPD4500 Design 9, NTNU)
Master’s Thesis
Jaime Jaimes, A. F. (2023). A Speculative Perspective in the Future of Second-life Electric Vehicle Batteries alternatives
Kaarud, A.B. (2024) (Design for User Acceptance of Repurposed Batteries) (IN PROGRESS)
This project will address how advancements in the repurposing and recycling of LIBs can facilitate sustainable business model innovation in the electric vehicle (EV) sector. Such innovations and other changes in the value chain of LIBs can lead to new business models, support business model transformation, diversification, or acquisition.
Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management
PhD candidate
Supervisors
Conference Papers
Ahmed, S., Verhulst, E. , & Boks, C.(2023). Sustainable Business Models for the Second life of EV Lithium ion Batteries in an Ecosystem context: A Review. In PROCEEDINGS 5th PLATE Conference
Ahmed, S., Verhulst, E. , & Boks, C.(2023). Second Life of EV Lithium ion Batteries from a Sustainable Business Model Perspective. In PROCEEDINGS EcoDesign Conference (In press)
Seminars/Presentation
PEC Annual Days 2023 Poster Presentation
Greenlunch Seminar 2023
Public Dissemination
PEC Annual Days 2023 Poster Presentation
Student Projects/Course work
Building sustainable solutions for the lithium ion battery value chain in Norway (TIØ4856)
Master thesis in HolE-LIB
Project Timeline and Funding
Want to be involved?
Project members
-
Ragnhild Elizabeth Aune Professor
+4791897663 +46708915492 ragnhild.aune@ntnu.no Department of Materials Science and Engineering -
Sulalit Bandyopadhyay Associate Professor
+47-73550339 +4745071041 sulalit.bandyopadhyay@ntnu.no Department of Chemical Engineering -
Casper Boks Professor
+47-73590102 casper.boks@ntnu.no Department of Design -
Vanja Buvik
Researcher at SINTEF Industry -
Hanna Katariina Knuutila Professor, deputy of education
+47-73594119 hanna.knuutila@ntnu.no Department of Chemical Engineering -
Elli Verhulst Associate Professor
+47-73590164 elli.verhulst@ntnu.no Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management
PhD Candidates
-
Saad Ahmed PhD Candidate
saad.ahmed@ntnu.no Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management -
Chiedza Thelma Nzuma PhD Candidate
chiedza.t.nzuma@ntnu.no Department of Geoscience -
Leander Spyridon Pantelatos PhD Candidate
leander.s.pantelatos@ntnu.no Department of Design -
Usman Saleem PhD Candidate
usman.saleem@ntnu.no Department of Chemical Engineering