The “white gold” of clean energy, lithium is a key ingredient in batteries large and small, from those powering phones and laptops to grid-scale energy storage systems.
The “white gold” of clean energy, lithium is a key ingredient in batteries large and small, from those powering phones and laptops to grid-scale energy storage systems.
Though relatively abundant, the silvery-white metal could soon be in short supply due to a complex sourcing landscape impacted by the electric vehicle (EV) boom, net-zero goals and geopolitical factors. Valued at over $65 billion in 2023, the lithium-ion battery (LIB) global market is expected to grow by over 23% in the next eight years, likely heightening existing challenges in lithium supply.
What’s more, recovering lithium from spent batteries is environmentally taxing and highly inefficient ⎯ something a team of Rice University researchers led by Pulickel Ajayan is working to change.
Read more at: Rice University
Sohini Bhattacharyya (left) and Salma Alhashim (Photo Credit: Gustavo Raskosky/Rice University)
