Reciclagem de baterias de íons de lítio com foco na economia circular do material catódico NMC (LiNi0,33CO0,33Mn0,33O2)

Abstract

The recent popularization of electric vehicles has brought benefits to the environment, such as those related to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Currently, due to the great demand for electric vehicles and portable devices, the raw materials that make up lithium-ion batteries are becoming increasingly scarce in cars, making the recycling market very attractive and promising. However, a large share of raw materials are still extracted from natural sources, causing environmental and, many times, social issues where the exploration of these sources is done in an irregular manner. For such, this given work looked to analyze the technical and economic viability of recycling lithium-ion batteries to recover the cathodic material, with focus in the NMC cathodic material (LiNi0.33Co0.33Mn0.33O2), because of its ample utilization nowadays, in view of its focus in the circular economy of this material, seeking to reinsert it in the productive chain of lithium-ion batteries. For this objective, with its vision turned to what is done in other countries and to what is beginning to be practiced in Brazil, where such market is until now underdeveloped, it is expected to be recycled annually 3350 tons of lithium-ion batteries, generating a total of 1632.30 tons of NMC cathodic material a year, the industrial plant being located in Campinas-SP, in its Industrial District. The investment for this business is R$202.710.194,50. It is expected a payback of seventh year and an Internal Rate of Return of 26,66%, in comparison to a Minimum Required Rate of Return of 13,75% per year, presenting this way as a theoretically viable application of this business in national soil, considering bigger advancements in this market in the next years in Brazil.