With the increasing usage of electronics powered by lithium ion batteries, it is more and more importantto improve the recycling process. The current study is focused on reducing graphite content of disposedlithium batteries to aid the further treatment of the batteries. In larger picture, an increase of efficiencyleads to a less cost and less loss of material in recycling process. The approach used is to reduce graphitecontent by the agglomerated flotation, using the natural hydrophobicity of graphite. This approach candecrease the percentage of this mineral in the further recycling process of LIBs where the actual focus arethe valuable metals as lithium, cobalt, nickel and manganese. The results and conditions of flotation arecompared in cases where flotation feed material is the bulk material or thermally treated one.

Denna kandidatuppsats undersöker livscykeln för återvunnen litium i elbilsbatterier, med fokus på återvinningsprocessen och dess miljöpåverkan vid olika stadier i dess livscykel. Målet är att få insikt i miljöeffekterna från främst litium, men också andra värdefulla material i elbilsbatterier, samt hur deras utvinning, användning och återvinning påverkas av politiska riktlinjer och regler. Olika tekniker för återvinning av batterimaterial undersöks, såsom pyrometallurgi, hydrometallurgi och direktåtervinning. Dessa jämförs sedan med avseende på miljökonsekvenser, effektivitet och säkerhet. Påverkan av politik och regleringar på batteriåtervinning analyseras, mer specifikt de riktlinjer som ges av Europeiska unionen inom ramen för Green Deal. Resultatet från vår litteraturstudie bekräftades av en intervju med en representant från Northvolt. Litteraturstudierna har bidragit med mycket information då det finns omfattande forskning inom området, men då många av dessa artiklar har liknande perspektiv fanns det brist på mer nyanserade studier. Intervjun med Northvolt gav också värdefulla insikter i hur företag arbetar med att minska miljöpåverkan. Sammanfattnings visar studien på att de vanligaste återvinningsmetoderna medför både positiva och negativa konsekvenser på återvunnet litiums livscykel. Den har också visat på att det finns politiska direktiv som har fått företag att prioritera sitt hållbarhetsfokus. Följaktligen har företag som redan integrerat hållbarhet som grundvärdering en fördel gentemot de konkurrenter som istället behöver anpassa sig till nya riktlinjer och policys. / This bachelor's thesis explores the lifecycle of recycled lithium in electric vehicle (EV) batteries, with a focus on lithium recycling and its environmental impact at different stages of recycled lithium's lifecycle. The objective is to gain insight into the environmental effects of primarily lithium but also other valuable materials in EV batteries as well as how their extraction, usage and recycling is influenced by political guidelines and regulations. The extraction process of lithium is examined, along with its impact. Additionally, various techniques for battery material recycling are investigated, such as pyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy and direct recycling. These are then compared with each other in terms of environmental consequences, efficiency, and safety. The impact of policies and regulations on battery recycling is analyzed, specifically the guidelines provided by the European Union in the Green Deal. The literature review work was reinforced by an interview with a representative from Northvolt. These reviews have been beneficial due to the extensive research in the field, although a limitation is the lack of diverse perspectives in the articles. The interview with Northvolt provided insights into how companies are working to reduce environmental impact. In conclusion, this thesis shows that the most commonly used extraction methods of lithium have both positive and negative consequences on the life cycle of recycled lithium. Furthermore, findings of this thesis shows that there are political directives which have prompted companies to prioritize their sustainability focus. Consequently, companies that have already integrated sustainability as a core value have a competitive advantage over their counterparts who need to adjust to new guidelines and policies.