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Abstract
At Battery Resourcers (BRs) is the world’s most efficiency lithium ion battery recycling company. BRs is directly recovering over 90w% of the battery producing high quality materials that go directly back into new batteries. With a business model of Superior Performance and Sustainable Sourcing BRs is poised to revolutionize the industry. BRs was founded as a derivative of work initiated at Worcester Polytechnic Institute by Professor Yan Wang. The company’s mission is to lower the total cost of electric vehicles by eliminating/reducing the recycling fee for end of life electric vehicle batteries and providing sustainable, high performance cathode materials. This can be accomplished by commercializing a viable cathode to cathode recovery process for lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries which leverages closed loop recycling, resulting in high quality / high value cathode materials. BRs’ recycling process can accept for recycling any lithium ion battery regardless of size, shape, or chemistry, and recover commercial quality NMC cathode powder or NMC precursor material. The process produces more revenue, more profit and fewer emissions than conventional recycling options. Since 2012, no Li-ion battery cathode chemistry claimed more than 40% of the overall Li-ion battery market. Thus, it is necessary to cultivate the ability to efficiently recycle batteries regardless of cathode composition. There are different ratios of nickel, manganese, and cobalt used in commercially available NMC cathode materials, the most common being NMC 111, followed by NMC 532. BRs’ exclusively licensed patent provides the ability to receive a mixed stream of batteries and then customize the ratio of nickel, manganese and from spent Li-ion batteries dissolved in solution. This solution is then used to precipitate new battery precursor materials. Specifically, BRs has produced NMC 111, 532 and 622. Since the technology takes the battery materials back to the solution that is then used to generate the precursor materials BRs process can produce cathode materials with varying parameters to meet the needs of the market. Initial results were made with a NMC111 and a D50 of 10-12 microns as was being used manufacturing of electric vehicle batteries at that time. Since then NMC 622 has been developed first with a D50 of 10-12 for electric vehicle batteries and more recently with a D50 of 5-6 microns for high capacity fast discharge applications. BR powder is equivalent or improved over commercial powder across a range of commonly measured properties, for example BRs’ powder provides superior high rate performance than current commercial powders and longer cycle life. Currently, the BRs powder has been shown to have 20% more cycles than the commercially available powder. 
Dr. Eric Gratz, Co-founder and CEO of Battery Resourcers, is a former Assistant Research Professor at the Metal Processing Institute at WPI, has expertise in recycling and extractive metallurgy. Dr. Gratz is responsible for the day-to-day operation, financing and long-term strategy of Battery Resourcers. Dr. Gratz is a primary inventor on two of the patents covering this unique recycling process. Dr. Gratz has raised $1.575M in capital investment in Battery Resourcers and is the PI on over $3M in grant funding for Battery Resourcers. Dr. Gratz has previous start-up experience working at NDC Power. His Ph.D. thesis was awarded the “Most Commercially Viable” thesis by Boston University Department of Mechanical Engineering in 2012.
Dessert Speaker: Boshan Mo
Solid Oxide Fuel Cells Solid Oxide Fuel Cells, or SOFCs, are electrochemical conversion devices that generate electricity and high-grade heat with extremely high efficiency. Although they are a promising technology for future energy storage, they suffer high drawbacks mainly due to high operating temperatures. One main objective is to explore how decreased feature size of cell anode microstructures improve performance at lower temperatures. To isolate this effect, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was performed on symmetric SOFCs to measure and compare cell performance. The data obtained from EIS was then compared with the SEM cross-sections of cells to observe what physical changes in microstructure can be corroborated with cell performance improvement or degradation. Bohan Mo is a PhD candidate in the Division of Materials Science at Boston University. His research focuses on high temperature electrochemistry and ceramics processing methods. As treasurer of Boston University's ASM chapter, he has assisted coordination of ASM events on campus, as well as general division events for materials students. LOCATION AND SCHEDULE for 2019-2020 Season Hyatt Regency Hotel 575 Memorial Drive Cambridge, MA 6:00 PM - 6:30 PM Networking; cash bar 6:30 PM - 7:15 PM Dinner 7:15 PM - 7:30 PM Dessert Speaker 7:30 PM - 8:30 PM Featured Speaker Our Chapter's 100th Anniversary is February 2020. We have begun planning an exciting celebration. |
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