In this talk I will present our research on  developing susianable anode free  Na  and Li batteries. I will present fundamentals of Li/Na nucleatrion on various curent collectors along with  SEI characterisation in different electrolytes and full cells at coin and pouch level. In particular several characterisation techniques such as in operando optical  microscopy, solid state NMR, ToF-SIMS, Hard ray XPS will be discussed. The impact of the chathode choice and SEI and full cell performance will also be discussed. In particular for Li we will discuss pairing  anode Free Li with a Li2S8/carbon composite and full cell performance.

If time allows will also doscuss our reseacher on K ion batteries snd the inetrcalation into graphite with new insights provided into thickness change, SEI, intercalation mechanism and stage compounds. Characterisation methods such as in operando XRD, Rama and surafec characterisation via ToF-SIMS will be presented along with DFT calculations to back up the Raman results on intercalation compounds with geaphite.

Na-ion batteries have entered the energy storage field to confront the problems posed by the exponential demand of Li-ion batteries, i.e., price rise, materials scarcity, geopolitical dependence, and mining and extraction environmental impact. Luckily, Na-ion batteries commercialization has just begun. However, they still have a long way ahead of them for further improvements in energy and power density, as well as cycling stability, in order to shorten the performance gap with Li-ion batteries. Similar to their Li-counterparts, carbon is the star material in the anodes. In this case, hard carbon is the material showing the best performance, although still allowing for optimization in terms of capacity, stability and synthesis sustainability. Indeed, innovations in materials design and performance advances should go hand in hand with technical feasibility, as well as health and environmental protection. Accordingly, to ensure their potential commercial viability and comply with growing requirements on sustainable manufacturing and use of resources, research must focus on the development of greener, simple synthetic approaches that exploit abundant and renewable carbon sources, as well as benign or low-toxicity chemicals.

In this communication, we show several sustainable synthesis strategies towards S-doped disordered carbons with a high-rate performance in sodium storage [1-3]. S-doping has been selected as a tool to boost the pseudocapacitive storage of Na and coupled with nanostructuring to minimize the solid-state Na diffusion distances. As carbon precursor, renewable biomass or biomass-based substances have been used, such as glucose, tannic acid, cork or pistachio shells. As S dopant, environmentally benign sulfur or magnesium sulfate have been selected, while nanostructuring has been achieved by using benign and water-removable templates such as sodium salts (carbonate or chloride) or harnessing the intrinsic structure of the biomass. It is shown that S-doping promotes not only the redox activity at high potentials, but also the low potential capacity exploitable in Na-based technologies.

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs), as one of the alternatives to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), have developed fast in the last ten years, and some companies have started commercialising SIBs. To achieve ecological sustainability, it is necessary to recycle spent SIBs. However, there are limited studies about the direct recovery of SIB’s anode and cathode active materials. For anode materials, hard carbon (HC), has comparable capacity with graphite in LIBs, and is widely used in commercial SIBs. However, due to its low yield and high energy consumption, HC is expensive than graphite and produces CO₂ during its manufacture. It is, therefore, useful to recover HC from end-of-life (EOL) cells and reduce CO₂ emissions.^[1] In this work, HC was reclaimed from scrap coatings and EOL cells and recovered by low temperature annealing with N₂ protect. The HC structure was evaluated by Wide Angle X-rays Scattering and the results confirmed the effect of heating temperature on the graphene layers in the HCs. The electrochemical measurements confirmed that the recovered HC from the scrap after 300°C annealing retained a similar capacity level with pristine HC after 50 cycles at 100 mAg^-1. HC recovered from EOL cells showed a reversible 218 mAhg^-1 capacity after 50 cycles. In full-cell configurations, HC reclaimed from scrap and EOL cells retained 86% and 89% of their initial discharge capacity after 200 cycles, respectively, and exhibited better cyclability than pristine HC. This research demonstrates a simple and effective single-step direct recovery method for HC recycling.

The development of carbon capture, storage, and utilization (CCS&U) technologies is critical for mitigating climate change and reducing reliance on fossil-based feedstocks. To ensure these technologies deliver sustainable solutions, it is essential to adopt sustainability assessment tools early in the design process, enabling timely identification of improvement opportunities and potential unintended consequences. Innovation efforts have focused on alternative solvents for CO₂ capture and novel catalysts and reactive systems for CO₂ utilization, addressing key technical and sustainability challenges in CCU.

This presentation highlights examples where life cycle assessment (LCA) was applied in early design stages to guide the sustainable development of carbon capture sorbents and CO₂ utilization systems. The first case study evaluates the environmental impacts of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate, an ionic liquid (IL), used as a post-combustion CO₂ capture solvent in a power plant with CCS. Key impact contributors and design parameters that could enhance IL performance in CCS processes were identified, revealing molecular-level weaknesses and opportunities for improvement. While the findings focus on a specific IL, the approach is broadly applicable to other ILs if process design data is available.

The second case study demonstrates the use of LCA to guide the design of a non-thermal plasma (NTP) reactor for CO₂ hydrogenation to methanol. By integrating climate impact metrics with reactor design parameters, product selectivity and CO₂ conversion, optimal operating conditions were determined from a sustainability perspective. The reactor, packed with a novel copper-zinc catalyst on a zeolite support, was tested under various voltages. Results showed that methanol selectivity had the greatest influence on the reactor’s environmental performance.

These case studies illustrate that addressing trade-offs early when designing solvents and catalysts applied to CCS&U technologies, can significantly enhance their environmental sustainability performance and drive innovation.

The global increase in solar panel production has outpaced the development of effective recycling processes for end-of-life (EoL) panels. With only a 25-30-year life span, Australia alone will generate around 1500 kilotonnes of solar panel waste by 2050. The substantial quantity of waste generated diminishes the environmental benefits. To tackle this issue, product stewardship schemes have been implemented in Australia, the EU and several states of the USA, establishing an economic imperative to ensure, at minimum the sustainable disposal of the waste.

Silicon solar modules are composed of glass aluminium polymers and metals/semiconductors (including relatively valuable Cu and Silver), as well as hazardous materials such as lead, tin, copper and arsenic.

This seminar will present the recent status of recycling procedures for solare cells,  and details of our international collaborations on the identification of strategies to recycle solar cell components into useful end use products, as well as recovery of valuable components.

The increasing electrification of modern society is heavily dependent on electronic and energy storage devices, with lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) playing a pivotal role. Since their introduction to the market, their features — such as high energy density, large capacity, long cycle life, and minimal maintenance requirements — made them indispensable to the energy industry. As a result, the demand for LIBs is expected to grow by over twenty percent yearly by 2030,[1] stimulating demand for critical metals like lithium, cobalt, nickel, and manganese. End-of-life (EoL) LIBs present a valuable opportunity as a source of these metals, often offering higher concentrations compared to traditional mineral ores,[2] whilst their adequate management minimises environmental pollution, resource losses, and supply chain risks.[3] Although battery repurposing will also play a relevant role, the recycling industry will continue growing in the coming years driven by recent EU legislation (Regulation (EU) 2023/1542), with batteries from 2031 onwards requiring a minimum recycled content of 6 % Li, 16 % Co and 6 % Ni and further increased by 2036.

This presentation showcases the recent work at CICECO exploring the transition of EoL LIBs down the waste hierarchy, exemplifying reuse strategies for the cathodic black mass before advancing to hydrometallurgical recycling with a focus on exploiting non-aqueous solvents for the design of alternative recovery processes.

The growing demand for lithium-ion (LIBs) and sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) to support the global energy transition has made end-of-life (EOL) management a critical challenge. Conventional recycling methods, including pyrometallurgy and hydrometallurgy, are energy-intensive and environmentally taxing and often fail to efficiently recover all critical materials. Direct recycling presents an innovative alternative, enabling the recovery and reuse of active materials with reduced energy input and environmental impact.

This presentation highlights cutting-edge research on the direct recycling of lower value and lower cost active materials in batteries. For example, hard carbon (HC) and Prussian white from Sodium-ion Scrap and EOL cells, graphite and lithium iron phosphate from scrap and end-of-life lithium-ion batteries, utilizing low-energy and low environmental impact approaches for delamination and relithiation or sodiation.

The discussion will also explore criticality assessments for materials such as lithium, sodium, and cobalt, evaluating their environmental and geopolitical risks in battery manufacturing. Direct recycling emerges as a scalable solution to mitigate these risks, decrease reliance on raw material extraction, and establish closed-loop systems for battery components. Life cycle assessments (LCA) demonstrate significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption compared to conventional techniques.

Rechargeable alkaline zinc–air batteries (ZAB) hold great promise as a viable, sustainable, and safe alternative energy storage system to the lithium-ion battery. However, the practical realization of ZABs is limited by their intrinsically low energy trip efficiency, stemming from a large charge and discharge potential gap. This overpotential is attributed to the four-electron oxygen evolution (OER) and reduction (ORR) reactions and their sluggish kinetics.

In this talk, I will show our new concept based on two-electron generation and consumption of hydrogen peroxide at the air electrode. The O₂/peroxide chemistry, facilitated by a newly developed low-cost Ni-based bifunctional electrocatalyst, enables fast peroxide generation/consumption, and high energy efficiency, durability, and capacity. The proposed strategy profoundly relies on the availability of bifunctionally active ORR and POR electrocatalysts. Therefore, we developed an efficient, highly stable, inexpensive ORR and POR bifunctional catalyst based on NiN_xC_y single sites and Ni-based nanoparticles (Ni(OH)₂ at the surface under operational conditions in an alkaline environment) engulfed in crystalline carbon. The new electrocatalyst exhibits state-of-the-art activity, selectivity (96 ± 2%) in the 0.15–0.79 V vs. RHE range, and long-term stability (>100 h) for both hydrogen peroxide synthesis (ORR) and oxidation (POR) in alkaline medium. The integration of the bifunctional catalyst in the ZPB results in an ultra-low initial charge potential of 1.28 V at a current density of 2 mA cm^–2 (fixed capacity: 20 mAh cm^–2) and 1.48 V at a high current density of 50 mA cm^–2, corresponding to 97.3% and 74.8% energy efficiency, respectively. The new ZAB operates for at least 1000 h at a capacity of 50 mAh cm^–2, demonstrating high durability. In situ measurements combined with theoretical calculations reveal that the bifunctional catalyst stabilizes an adsorbed hydroperoxyl intermediate, which constitutes a crucial step for both peroxide generation and oxidation reactions, allowing the battery’s unique performance. The new design offers substantial progress toward practical ZAB and green, cheap, and efficient electrochemical production of hydrogen peroxide, providing a step toward replacing the existing industrial energy-intensive and toxic process.

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) is one of the more promising battery technologies that are starting to see commercialisation, were the low cost, abundance of necessary raw materials, higher safety and power and similar energy densities compared to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are often mentioned as their key advantages. SIBs, due to their great similarities with LIBs have seen a rapid development. One of the key differences, however, is the carbonaceous negative electrode, where in the case SIBs is not possible the use of graphite. This is due to Na⁺ not forming stable intercalation compounds with graphite unlike for LIBs. But, it was discovered by Jache et al. ¹ that Na⁺ can form stable ternary graphite intercalation compounds by using ethers as the solvent electrolyte through a solvent co-intercalation mechanism, thus enabling the use of graphite in SIBs. Although the co-intercalation of solvent molecules with sodium cation leads to a large increase in the graphite framework, the cycle life and rate capability of the reaction are excellent. ^{2, 3}

This sparked additional interest in the phenomenon, where many electrolyte solutions have now been explored for several metal-ions (Li+, Na⁺, K⁺ as well as Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺) showing that when electrochemical solvent co-intercalation occurs the redox reaction, both capacity (stoichiometry) and potential, becomes dependent on the exact electrolyte formulation.⁴ Hence systems with solvent co-intercalation offers an extremely diverse chemistry.^{2, 4}

This presentation aims to summarize the ongoing research endeavors concerning electrochemical solvent co-intercalation phenomena. Our exploration spans from fundamental inquiries regarding the nature of the reactions involved to methodologies for detecting solvent co-intercalation.⁵ We also present other electrode materials (in the transition dichalcogenide family) that can be identified as “co-intercalation electrode” when using a specific electrolyte composition (otherwise, conventional intercalation process will occur).⁶

The rapid development of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) has significantly advanced the field of renewable energy, offering high efficiency and cost-effectiveness. However, the widespread adoption of PSCs has raised serious environmental concerns, mainlydue to toxic lead-based components, such as lead iodide (PbI₂), which can pose substantial risks if not properly managed at the end of the product’s life cycle. As the need for sustainable practices in the disposal and recycling of these materials becomes more urgent, there is an increasing focus on finding efficient, environmentally friendly solutions for the recovery and reuse of lead from PSCs [1].

In this study, we introduce a novel and sustainable approach for up-cycling lead iodide (PbI₂) from PSCs using environmentally friendly functional liquids. Unlike conventional recycling techniques, which often rely on harsh chemicals and processes that can harm the environment [2],[3],[4]; our method focuses on harnessing green solvent systems to facilitate the efficient recovery and purification of PbI₂, making it suitable for reuse in the production of new  PSCs or other applications, thereby closing the material loop and reducing waste.

By employing green solvent systems, the process mitigates the environmental impact typically associated with the extraction and purification of lead but also maximizes the material recovery rate. The effectiveness of the recovery process will be rigorously validated through comprehensive analyses, including structural, chemical, and morphological characterization of the purified PbI₂ to confirm the quality and yield of the recovered material, and demonstrating its potential to meet the stringent requirements for reuse in PSC manufacturing.

This methodology offers a practical and scalable solution to address the toxicity concerns associated with PSC waste [5],[6], and it represents a significant advancement in sustainable recycling practices, providing a pathway to reduce the environmental footprint of PSCs while promoting a circular economy. By improving the recyclability of essential materials like lead—while mitigating its toxicity concerns—this research contributes to developing environmentally responsible solar energy technologies, helping to pave the way for a more sustainable future in renewable energy [7].

Li-ion battery (LIB) technology is a cornerstone of the transition to a carbon-neutral economy, powering advancements in renewable energy storage and electric mobility. While LIBs have been transformative, achieving full environmental and economic sustainability requires addressing challenges across the entire value chain, including the recycling of spent Li-ion batteries (SLIBs). Current industrial recycling processes primarily focus on recovering valuable cathode metals from the black mass. However, graphite, a critical raw material present in significant quantities in SLIBs, is largely discarded, despite its designation as a critical material by the EU. To fully capitalize on the circular economy potential of LIBs, innovative strategies for the recovery and upcycling of spent graphite are urgently needed.

Recycling graphite from black mass leach residue faces significant challenges due to impurities, structural defects, and contaminants that make traditional recycling methods economically unfeasible. This presentation outlines a novel approach utilizing hydrometallurgically-leached black mass residue as a raw material for producing bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts. By exploiting the residual metal content and defects in the waste graphite we are able to turn a disposal challenge into an opportunity for creating high-value materials. Our research [1, 2] demonstrates the potential of SLIB recycling residue as a sustainable resource for high-performance M-N-C catalyst materials. These novel catalysts, tested in Zn-air batteries, show high power density and long cycling stability, highlighting their applicability in next-generation energy devices, offering a pathway toward mitigating climate change while advancing the circular economy for battery technologies.

The exponentially growing demand for energy storage has reached a point where it outpaces the energy density of the lithium-ion battery, which is currently the dominant commercial option (~200 Wh kg^-1). This has led to an intense search for viable alternatives. Metal-sulfur technology has emerged as a promising candidate for the next generation of rechargeable batteries, offering a high theoretical gravimetric energy density and the additional benefits of low cost and non-toxicity of sulfur [1][2].

Notwithstanding, sulfur presents a number of challenges that impede battery performance, with the shuttle effect and slow reaction kinetics being the most extensively studied. Among the various strategies proposed to address these issues, the chemical trapping of polysulfides (LiPSs) has demonstrated considerable promise [3]. Furthermore, recent studies indicate that applying a magnetic field to materials with ferromagnetic properties can enhance cycling performance [4].

This study presents a novel approach that demonstrates the efficacy of combining recycled ferrite with an external magnetic field generated by a permanent magnet in significantly improving reaction kinetics and polysulfide adsorption, thereby enhancing electrochemical stability. A comprehensive kinetic analysis indicates that the external magnetic field reduces polarization, increases the Li⁺ diffusion coefficient, and reduces the activation energy between electrochemical stages. The electrode demonstrates a capacity retention of up to 40% and a capacity loss per cycle of only half that observed at a high rate of 1C. At an ultra-high rate of 10C, it maintains a capacity of 507 mAh g⁻¹ after 150 cycles and delivers an areal capacity of up to 3 mAh cm⁻² with an ultra-high loading of 13 mg cm⁻². In addition to its impressive electrochemical performance, this method is more sustainable, utilizing recycled electronic waste processed through dry milling, thus eliminating the need for fossil-derived carbons.

Widespread adoption of alkali metal ion batteries poses a challenge for the recycling industry. Efficient recovery and reuse of valuable metals from end-of-life batteries and manufacturing scrap is paramount. A novel, cost-effective, fast, and scalable with high purity electrode delamination approach, 'ice-stripping,' is proposed. An electrode is wetted with water and frozen using a cold plate, then peeled. Volume expansion and the increased cohesive strength of the ice over the electrode adhesion results in 100% delamination from the current collector and recovery of electrode coatings with minimal water use, material waste, or damage, in stark contrast to conventional high-temperature methods. Its effectiveness is illustrated with Li-ion and Na-ion battery electrodes comprised of different binder systems, and the scalability is considered for scrap. Direct recycling cases study for Na-ion, Li-ion and manufacturing scrap are presented. This innovation holds promise in meeting the escalating demand for efficient and sustainable battery recycling.

The role of binders is crucial to achieve high performance and long cycle lifes in next generation electrodes for lithium batteries. Poly(vinylidene difluoride) (PVDF) and its copolymers are the most commonly used binders for the processing of cathodes in Li-ion batteries, due to their good electrochemical stability. However, PVDF requires the usage of toxic and expensive organic solvent N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) for the electrode processing and elevated temperatures for drying step, making the cathode manufacturing process environmentally unfriendly. In order to overcome these issues, it is necessary to develop cost effective and eco-friendly binders as alternatives to PVDF.

For this reason, the use of bio-polymers and water-processable polymeric binders is increasingly investigated. In this talk, we will present the development of water processable polymeric binders, such as  carrageenan biopolymers [1] and fluorine-free poly(ionic liquids) [2], together with their application as binder in  high-voltage NMC811 cathodes. Moreover, polymer binders that can provide additional functionalities, such as lithium mobility and/or electronic conductivity, are important for both lithium-ion and lithium-metal batteries. Here, organic mixed ionic-electronic conducting (OMIEC) binders will be presented based on the conducting polymer PEDOT and ionically conductive poly(ionic liquids) [3] and organic ionic plastic crystals [4], which improve the rate capability and cycling stability of Li-ion batteries.

Among the anode materials for sodium-ion batteries (NIBs), hard carbon (HC) is attracting particular attention thanks to its advantages: low cost, availability, sustainability and theoretical capacity close to graphite (in lithium-ion batteries, LIBs) [1]. HCs are generally synthesised from eco-friendly precursors, such as bio-polymers and biomasses, ensuring local resources' utilisation. For electrode manufacturing, HC is usually mixed with a polymer binder to be cast onto the current collector and to improve its mechanical stability. The binder plays an essential role in the formation of the electrode/electrolyte interface (known as the SEI), which affects the efficiency, capacity and cycle life of the battery. However, the binder can also cause inconveniences related to its weight, stability and inactive electrochemical storage, reducing sometimes performance. In addition, most of the binders currently used contain fluorine, i.e. polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), which is not only difficult to recycle, but also requires toxic and volatile solvents (N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, NMP) to dissolve it, raising environmental concerns. To overcome this problem, sustainable and green binders/solvents are explored in this work to obtain environmentally responsible and biodegradable electrodes, that can be recycled [2]. The results obtained show that significant optimisation of the electrode formulation is required for each individual binder and that the performance vs. Na/Na⁺ is strongly dependent on the binder used. In addition, the formation of SEI and its chemical composition is also influenced by the binder [3]. Furthermore, binder-free self-supporting electrodes (SSE) are proposed as a promising alternative to avoid the use of binder/solvent while reducing the price, toxicity and weight of the electrodes [4]. The synthesis of such SSE is quite challenging and, in particular, their performance is closely linked to their properties and the electrolyte used.