The fungi Aspergillus niger (top left),
Penicillium simplicissimum (top right) and Penicillium chrysogenum
(bottom) can recycle cobalt and lithium from rechargeable batteries.
Credit: Aldo Lobos
Although rechargeable batteries in smartphones, cars and tablets can be
charged again and again, they don't last forever. Old batteries often
wind up in landfills or incinerators, potentially harming the
environment. And valuable materials remain locked inside. Now, a team of
researchers is turning to naturally occurring fungi to drive an
environmentally friendly recycling process to extract cobalt and lithium
from tons of waste batteries.
The fungi
Aspergillus niger (top left), Penicillium simplicissimum (top right) and
Penicillium chrysogenum (bottom) can recycle cobalt and lithium from
rechargeable batteries.
The team first dismantles the batteries
and pulverizes the cathodes. Then, they expose the remaining pulp to the
fungus. "Fungi naturally generate organic acids, and the acids work to
leach out the metals," Cunningham explains. "Through the interaction of
the fungus, acid and pulverized cathode, we can extract the valuable
cobalt and lithium. We are aiming to recover nearly all of the original
material."
http://www.eurekalert.org/multimedia/pub/120078.php
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