Researchers at the University of South Florida have created a process for extracting lithium and cobalt from lithium-ion batteries that is straight from nature. The researchers found that fungi can safely and simply extract the metals from used batteries, keeping the materials out of landfills and ready to be reused in new batteries.
The batteries are first taken apart and the cathodes are pulverized. Then three different strains of fungus — Aspergillus niger, Penicillium simplicissimum and Penicillium chrysogenum — take over.
“Fungi naturally generate organic acids, and the acids work to leach out the metals,” explained Jeffrey A. Cunningham, Ph.D., the project’s team leader, to the American Chemical Society. “Through the interaction of the fungus, acid and pulverized cathode, we can extract the valuable cobalt and lithium. We are aiming to recover nearly all of the original material.”
For an in depth discussion on the application of fungi to the recycling process, check out this video from The American Chemical Society:
Stop breadboarding and soldering – start making immediately! Adafruit’s Circuit Playground is jam-packed with LEDs, sensors, buttons, alligator clip pads and more. Build projects with Circuit Playground in a few minutes with the drag-and-drop MakeCode programming site, learn computer science using the CS Discoveries class on code.org, jump into CircuitPython to learn Python and hardware together, TinyGO, or even use the Arduino IDE. Circuit Playground Express is the newest and best Circuit Playground board, with support for CircuitPython, MakeCode, and Arduino. It has a powerful processor, 10 NeoPixels, mini speaker, InfraRed receive and transmit, two buttons, a switch, 14 alligator clip pads, and lots of sensors: capacitive touch, IR proximity, temperature, light, motion and sound. A whole wide world of electronics and coding is waiting for you, and it fits in the palm of your hand.
Have an amazing project to share? The Electronics Show and Tell is every Wednesday at 7:30pm ET! To join, head over to YouTube and check out the show’s live chat – we’ll post the link there.
Biohacking — Vitamin-C + Gelatin for Accelerated Recovery
Python for Microcontrollers — MP3 decoding, CircuitPython snakes its way to Fomu, NXP, and more! #Python #Adafruit #CircuitPython #PythonHardware @circuitpython @micropython @ThePSF @Adafruit
