UWM Researchers Validate Method to Transform Used EV Batteries into Domestic Fertilizer, Addressing Waste and Import Reliance
Key Insights
Professor Deyang Qu's team at UWM developed a novel ion-exchange process to convert retired lithium iron phosphate (LFP) EV batteries into agricultural fertilizer.
This innovative method recovers valuable lithium while transforming remaining battery components, including phosphorus, potassium, and nitrogen, into essential crop nutrients.
The initiative addresses the escalating challenge of LFP battery waste disposal, offering an economically viable and environmentally sustainable recycling pathway.
The project aims to reduce U.S. reliance on foreign fertilizer imports, create domestic supply chains, and foster green technology jobs in Wisconsin.
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) have unveiled a groundbreaking method to transform retired lithium iron phosphate (LFP) electric vehicle (EV) batteries into domestically produced fertilizer, addressing a looming waste crisis and critical supply chain vulnerabilities. Professor Deyang Qu, a mechanical engineering expert at UWM, led the team that successfully demonstrated a novel ion-exchange process to recover valuable materials and repurpose the remaining components.
As the global EV market expands, the impending wave of retired LFP batteries, commonly found in EVs, E-delivery vans, and E-buses after approximately 10 years of service, presents a significant waste management challenge. Traditional disposal methods for these batteries are costly and offer minimal material recovery value beyond lithium, making current recycling economically unfeasible. This economic barrier has prompted a search for innovative, value-added solutions.
Professor Qu's team pioneered an ion-exchange process to recover lithium from LFP materials by replacing it with potassium. Crucially, the remaining elements—phosphorus, potassium, and nitrogen—are key ingredients in agricultural fertilizers. "Right now, it costs more to recycle the batteries than the value of what we recover," Professor Qu stated. "But if we can turn those elements into fertilizer, we not only reduce waste but also support agriculture in Wisconsin and beyond."
This proof of concept, funded by a UWM internal Discovery and Innovation Grant and supported by the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, directly tackles the economic viability issue. Fertilizers are high-value products essential for global food security, with most mineral deposits currently imported into the U.S. Recycling LFP batteries domestically would create a ready supply of these ingredients, reducing reliance on foreign sources and potentially lowering production energy costs by eliminating the need for mining and extensive transportation.
The next phase involves scaling up fertilizer production to conduct comparative field tests against conventional fertilizers. "Once we obtain support for the recycling-separation portion of the project," Qu added, "We will continue collaborating with the USDA to produce enough material for a one-acre tomato crop trial. Those results will help us market this idea to major fertilizer companies." Wisconsin, with its robust manufacturing and agricultural sectors, is well-positioned to lead this self-sustaining battery recycling effort, promising to generate high-tech jobs and provide workforce training in emerging green technologies.