Chemists at the Kurnakov Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry have proposed a highly efficient extraction method for recovering valuable metals from spent lithium-ion batteries. This is reported by the official website of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation.
The new approach targets solutions obtained from the leaching of active battery materials and uses a next-generation extractor based on deep eutectic solvents. These systems are gaining attention as environmentally safer alternatives to conventional extractants, combining high selectivity with chemical stability and ease of regeneration.
The research team developed a selective deep eutectic solvent composed of triisobutylphosphine sulphide and thymol, enabling efficient separation of copper and iron from hydrochloric acid leachates of end-of-life lithium iron phosphate batteries. According to the scientists, the extractor is produced from readily available reagents and is compatible with standard industrial extraction equipment.
Laboratory tests demonstrated high separation factors, allowing each metal to be isolated individually and converted into products with a purity exceeding 99 per cent. This level of selectivity is considered critical for the economic viability of battery recycling and the recovery of strategic materials.
The growing volume of discarded lithium-ion batteries has made electronic waste management a global environmental challenge. Researchers note that extraction technologies based on deep eutectic solvents could significantly reduce waste generation while improving the recovery of valuable and strategically important elements, including lithium.
The team plans to scale up the proposed separation scheme, conduct trials on industrial extraction systems, and optimise each stage of the process. The study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation and is positioned as a step towards more sustainable and circular battery recycling technologies.
In recent years, BRICS countries have reported a series of notable achievements in materials science and applied chemistry aimed at reducing environmental risks and improving sustainability. In China, for example, researchers have developed a new generation of eco-friendly pigments based on rare-earth elements that eliminate the need for toxic heavy metals traditionally used in industrial colouring.
Chinese scientists demonstrated that rare-earth ions can deliver highly saturated and stable colours without the health and environmental hazards associated with lead, cadmium or mercury. This is reported by Global Times, a partner of TV BRICS. By combining rare-earth elements with widely available aluminosilicate materials, the researchers achieved both environmental safety and significant cost reductions, making large-scale production economically viable.
India is also contributing to this shift towards sustainable technologies through advances at the intersection of biology and electronics. Scientists have identified semiconductor properties in a naturally occurring bacterial protein that self-assembles into ultra-thin films capable of generating electrical signals under ultraviolet light. This is reported by IANS, a partner of TV BRICS.
Unlike conventional semiconductors, the protein-based material functions without metals, synthetic additives or energy-intensive manufacturing processes, offering a biodegradable and biocompatible alternative for electronic applications. The discovery highlights India’s growing role in developing soft electronics for healthcare, environmental monitoring and wearable devices, reinforcing a shared BRICS emphasis on innovation that reduces ecological impact while expanding technological capabilities.
Furthermore, Russian scientists have recently identified a rare phosphorus-bearing carbonate mineral trapped inside a diamond formed hundreds of kilometres beneath the Earth’s surface. The finding provides direct evidence of complex carbonate-rich fluids operating in the mantle under extreme pressure and temperature conditions, reshaping long-held views that deep Earth processes are dominated solely by silicates and oxides. This is reported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation.
By revealing the role of light and rare elements in deep mineral formation, the discovery strengthens international efforts to decode mantle dynamics, diamond genesis and the geochemical cycles that influence the planet’s long-term evolution.
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