Tracing the origin of lithium in Li-ion batteries using lithium isotopes.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 35882851.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-022-31850-y and PMC identifier 9325982.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries (LIB) play a key role in the energy transition towards clean energy, powering electric vehicles, storing energy on renewable grids, and helping to cut emissions from transportation and energy sectors. Lithium (Li) demand is estimated to increase considerably in the near future, due to the growing need for clean-energy technologies. The corollary is that consumer expectations will also grow in terms of guarantees on the origin of Li and the efforts made to reduce the environmental and social impact potentially associated with its extraction. Today, the LIB-industry supply chain is very complex, making it difficult for end users to ensure that Li comes from environmentally and responsible sources. Using an innovative geochemical approach based on the analysis of Li isotopes of raw and processed materials, we show that Li isotope 'fingerprints' are a useful tool for determining the origin of lithium in LIB. This sets the stage for a new method ensuring the certification of Li in LIB.