BASF has collaborated with Nanotech Energy to manufacture lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries in North America using locally recycled substance, it said in a press release on September 11. BASF will use cathode active materials from recycled metals in Michigan, US, which will be used in Li-ion battery cells produced by Nanotech Energy. The idea is to significantly reduce the CO2 footprint of Nanotech’s Li-ion batteries.
The companies will also partner with Li-ion battery-recycling company American Battery Technology Co. (ABTC) and Toda Advanced Materials (Toda) to establish a localized battery value chain. Toda manufactures precursors for cathode active material (pCAM) and metal hydroxide material.
“Our partnership with Nanotech, ABTC, and [Toda] marks an important step for BASF’s global battery recycling business. Now, we are establishing the first closed-loop system in North America. This enables BASF and Nanotech to produce lithium-ion batteries with locally recycled content,” said Daniel Schönfelder, senior vice president of Battery Base Metals and Recycling at BASF.
Significance: BASF has enough experience in battery and had recently announced its battery-recycling capacity in Europe. It has already been offering recycling services and cathode active material based on recycled metals as a closed-loop solution in Asia.
The goal is to establish a complete circular economy. Battery scrap and off-spec material from Nanotech’s operation in California, US, will be recycled by ABTC while the battery-grade metals such as as nickel, cobalt, manganese and lithium will be used by Toda and BASF to produce new precursors and cathode active materials, respectively. Nanotech will finally use these materials for its battery-cell production.
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