A new battery restoration method can bring lithium-ion batteries back to 95% of their original capacity

Researchers at Cornell University have developed a way to restore old lithium-ion batteries to up to 95% of their original power. The method, called Direct Electrode-to-Electrode Regeneration, or DEER, does so without shredding, without complicated chemical processes, and at much lower cost than conventional recycling.

As lithium-ion batteries get older, a layer called the solid electrolyte interphase, or SEI, slowly forms on the electrodes. A thin SEI layer is actually needed for the battery to work, but after many charge cycles, it thickens, increasing resistance and reducing capacity. This buildup is the main reason electric vehicle batteries and energy storage systems are replaced, even when the rest of the battery is still in good condition.

Conventional recycling addresses this by shredding strong electrodes into a black, powdery material called black mass, then using energy-intensive chemical processes to extract important minerals to make new electrodes. DEER uses a completely different method. The electrodes are removed intact, soaked in an electrochemical bath that cleanly removes the SEI layer, and then returned to a new battery. This process also leaves a thin layer of lithium fluoride that helps keep the electrode stable and slows down future wear.

2

In tests, restored batteries recovered up to 95% of their original capacity. When researchers repeated the restoration process on the same batteries, they kept about 90% of their power, showing that a single battery can last much longer. Economic studies predict DEER could lower recycled-battery production costs by 56% and reduce harmful air pollution and water use compared to conventional methods.

Frequently Asked Questions

TweakBot answers common questions about this news using TweakTown's own coverage from this page and related content from our archive. All answers are generated from TweakTown content and not outside sources. Tap a question to reveal the answer, or type your own below related to this content.

Question #1

What types of batteries (e.g., EV, consumer electronics, grid storage) were tested with DEER and which are most compatible with the process?

Click to reveal answer

Question #2

Does DEER require disassembling battery packs to remove intact electrodes, and what level of teardown or safety procedures are implied?

The article says DEER removes electrodes intact by taking them out, soaking them in an electrochemical bath to remove the SEI, and then returning them to a new battery, so it does not shred packs to recover electrodes. The article does not detail specific teardown steps or safety procedures beyond stating electrodes are removed intact, so no level of teardown or safety protocols are described.

Answered

Question #3

How many times can a single battery undergo the DEER restoration cycle before it becomes ineffective or uneconomical?

The primary article reports that when researchers repeated the DEER restoration on the same batteries, they kept about 90% of their power, indicating a single battery can undergo at least one additional restoration and still retain most capacity. The article does not specify an exact maximum number of DEER cycles before a battery becomes ineffective or uneconomical.

Answered

Question #4

What limitations does DEER have for restoring batteries with damage beyond SEI buildup, such as lithium loss or physical electrode degradation?

Click to reveal answer

Have a question about this content not listed here? Ask below and TweakBot will answer it.

Your questionAsk

Answering your question×

TweakBot is analyzing your question…

Could not get an answer

TweakBot is generating an answer

Read More

Was TweakBot helpful?Thanks for the feedback!

The team is now working to expand DEER beyond SEI-related damage to cover other forms of battery wear, including lithium loss, with the long-term goal of covering all wear that causes EV batteries to be retired. Industrial and large-scale energy storage systems are also on the roadmap.