Tesla has filed a patent that goals to get better undamaged and unutilized nickel and cobalt, two essential uncooked supplies in battery cells. The patent outlines using an electrochemical dissolution to get better the Earth metals for recycling functions, shifting towards a extra environment friendly provide chain as some battery supplies have gotten onerous to acquire on account of world provide chain shortages.
The patent is titled “Metallic Sulfate Manufacturing System through Electrochemical Dissolution” and was filed by three Tesla engineers. The automaker filed it on July twenty ninth, 2021, simply days after the Q2 2021 Earnings Name, the place Tesla reported its eighth consecutive worthwhile quarter.
The patent
Battery manufacturing has been a central focus of electrical automotive firms since day 1. Batteries are the lifeblood of electrical automobiles, and as extra firms enter the EV sector, batteries and battery supplies have gotten much less obtainable on account of rising demand. One strategy to make the most of EV batteries after their lifespan has come to an finish is to get better the undamaged and unutilized uncooked supplies from the non-functioning cells. Battery cell recycling might be the most effective and most effective strategy to alleviate battery materials provide shortages and improve the variety of obtainable cells for a corporation’s merchandise. Nickel and cobalt are two supplies that will be splendid for this patent: nickel on account of its low availability and cobalt on account of its environmental results and generally immoral mining practices.
“Nickel and cobalt sulfates are sometimes used as uncooked supplies for lithium-ion battery cathode materials precursors, nickel steel hydride battery cathodes, and nickel cadmium battery cathodes. It’s typically tough or costly to buy steel sulfate merchandise from the market on account of their restricted availability,” the patent states. “Because of this, a number of firms synthesize steel sulfate options through dissolution in sulfuric acid from extra available steel merchandise, such a nickel powder, nickel briquette, cobalt powder, and cobalt briquette. Nonetheless, the expansion of the electrical and hybrid-electric car markets is predicted to proceed into the long run and end in a scarcity of steel powders and briquettes, along with sulfates.”
Tesla goals to make the most of an electrolyte tub container to carry an answer for battery cells to be positioned in. The tub would make the most of “comparatively dilute sulfuric acid” in an electrochemical dissolution gadget with an anode and a cathode, synthesizing a steel sulfate answer from the cathodes, powders, or briquette supplies. The metals may be extracted from the cells by means of the bathtub, which could have low-voltage currents utilized to it, liberating the undamaged supplies from the battery.
Why it is a large deal
The patent, if granted, would open doorways for Tesla to get better a number of the most important parts of an electrical car or vitality storage battery. With the elevated demand for these supplies, Tesla might reduce its expenditures for materials mining and new battery cell manufacturing, permitting the corporate to take away itself from the intensive ready checklist for these supplies. Prices for each nickel and cobalt have skyrocketed not too long ago. Cobalt has elevated in value considerably since September 2019, growing by 62.64% since then. Nickel is up 9.25% in the identical time-frame, in line with Investing.com.
Musk’s callout for Nickel and Cobalt
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been requesting nickel for a number of quarters, even requesting a provider to supply its providers to the automaker for a “large contract.” Tesla has signed provide offers with Australia’s BHP and has additionally been in talks with Canadian and Indonesian firms.
Musk mentioned through the Q2 2020 Earnings Name:
“Nicely, I’d similar to to reemphasize, any mining firms on the market, please mine extra nickel, OK? Wherever you might be on the planet, please mine extra nickel, and don’t watch for nickel to return to some lengthy — some excessive level that you simply skilled some 5 years in the past or no matter. Go for effectivity, as environmentally pleasant, nickel mining at excessive quantity. Tesla will provide you with an enormous contract for an extended time frame in the event you mine nickel effectively and in an environmentally delicate manner. So hopefully, this message goes out to all mining firms.”
Cobalt, a extremely controversial steel that’s essential for cell stability, is a component Tesla is making an attempt to maneuver away from. Nonetheless, if the automaker can get its palms on reusable cobalt from previous batteries, it will possible not say no to the choice of getting it readily available. Mining practices have broadly been characterised as immoral and have taken benefit of kid labor. Tesla has labored its manner round these points by means of routine due diligence checks at its provider’s mines, however nonetheless, getting cobalt out of the provision chain altogether is the purpose. Tesla is working towards a zero-cobalt LPF cell in China, and suppliers like Panasonic have additionally indicated that they might have cobalt-free cells prepared in 2-3 years.
Tesla’s patent is out there beneath.
Metallic Sulfate Manufacturing System through Electrochemical Dissolution by Joey Klender on Scribd