The actions of the European project RENOVATE, with the kick-off meeting held at Università degli Studi di Pavia, officially started, funded by the European Union under the HORIZON program.

The meeting aimed at planning the first and upcoming research activities and discussing the expected outcomes that will boost the recycling and re-use of batteries, cell materials, and related components. The ultimate goal is to support the green and digital transformation of the European battery industry to increase its competitiveness and promote its just growth path. A specific aim will also be smart re-integration of the side streams (e.g. waste chemicals/solvents) in the recycling processes and/or in in other industrial activities to minimize the residues coming from batteries production.

Two departments of Politecnico di Milano are involved in the project: the Mechanical Department with the research group of Professor Marcello Colledani and the Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering "Giulio Natta" with the research group of Professor Pierangelo Metrangolo.

The research at the Department of Mechanical Engineering aims to develop and validate a demand-driven de-manufacturing process-chains for high liberation of re-usable components and materials from battery waste feeds, minimizing energy and process costs and reducing the exposure of the operator to risks.

The chemical Department will, instead, focus on devising innovative green chemistry routes to recover and reuse various chemical materials from battery waste feeds, such as binder, electrolyte, and graphite, developing methods for polymer extraction using sub- and super-critical fluids.

RENOVATE involves partners the follower partners: INSTM (Consorzio Interuniversitario Nazionale per la Scienza e Tecnologia dei Materiali), Università degli Studi di Pavia, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, Politecnico di Milano, CIIAE (Iberian Centre for Research in Energy Storage), Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT) - Helmholtz Institute Ulm (HIU), Syensqo, SVOLT Energy Technology (Europe) GmbH, BALance Technology Consulting GmbH, ERP Italia Servizi, Lomartov SL, FAAM - Energy Saving Battery, Organik Kimya.

> More info: renovate-project.eu