The focus of the video is on project 3 “Bio-hydrometallurgical treatment of LIB residues” of the COMET module FuLIBatteR. It mainly concentrates on the bioleaching process and the function of bacteria.

There are to be 30 million electric cars on Europe’s roads by 2030. That is the EU’s plan. The demand for batteries will increase enormously as a result. The extraction of the rare metals needed for this plan leads to a pollution of the environment. Two researchers from Linz are tackling this problem and developing new systems to recycle batteries.

Sabine Spiess and Rebeka Frueholz from K1-MET GmbH explain in an interview which innovative methods have been researched to recover the valuable elements from lithium-ion batteries.

To produce one ton of lithium, more than two million tons of seawater are required. What if there were a more sustainable and promising source for lithium production? Sabine Spiess and Rebeka Frueholz discuss how they utilize bacteria to recover lithium from spent lithium-ion batteries. They showcase their innovative research efforts within the COMET Module FuLIBatteR, focused on establishing a circular battery value chain.

This video is a contribution as part of the UAR Innovation Network video series.
Thanks to the Upper Austrian Research GmbH and LT1 Privatfernsehen GmbH!

Don't miss the video to learn more about the sustainable recovery of valuable metals from LIBs:
https://www.k1-met.com/en/modul_fulibatter/project_3