Designing lithium-ion batteries for recycle: The role of adhesives

Abstract

While electric vehicles are seen as an important tool in the decarbonisation of transport, pack and module architectures make disassembly and recycling slow and complex. Removal of physical fastenings such as clips, screws, welds and adhesives are the rate limiting factor in pack to cell disassembly. This study investigates the types of polymeric adhesives which are used in various battery components and shows how careful choice of components can speed up disassembly and circumvent the need for shredding and increase the purity and value of the recycled material.