I-Chalmers University of Technology eSweden ibika indlela entsha yokuvuselela amabhethri ezimoto zikagesi. Le nqubo ayidingi amakhemikhali abizayo noma ayingozi ngoba abacwaningi basebenzise i-oxalic acid, i-organic acid etholakala embusweni wezitshalo.
Le nqubo ingabuyisa u-100% we-aluminium kanye no-98% we-lithium emabhethri ezimoto zikagesi, ngokusho kwenyuvesi. Lokhu kunciphisa nokulahlekelwa kwezinto zokusetshenziswa ezibalulekile njenge-nickel, i-cobalt kanye ne-manganese.
E-Chalmers University's Battery Recycling Laboratory, ithimba lizame ukucubungula izinto ezimnyama, ingxube yempuphu yezinto ezibalulekile ezisebenzayo emabhethri, ku-oxalic acid. Ikakhulukazi, besikhuluma ngebhethri yemoto kagesi yeVolvo. Inothi lichaza inqubo ngokuthi “ukwenza ikhofi.” Eqinisweni, konke kuyinkimbinkimbi kakhulu, ngoba ukuze inqubo ye-oxalic acid ikhiqize umphumela oyifunayo, kubalulekile ukukhetha ngokunembile izinga lokushisa, ukuhlushwa kanye nobude besikhathi. Ngendlela, i-oxalic acid itholakala ezitshalweni ezifana ne-rhubarb kanye nesipinashi.
“Kuze kube manje, akekho oye wakwazi ukuthola izimo ezifanele zokuhlukanisa inani elikhulu kangaka le-lithium esebenzisa i-oxalic acid nokususa yonke i-aluminium. Ngenxa yokuthi wonke amabhethri aqukethe i-aluminium, sidinga ukukwazi ukuyisusa ngaphandle kokulahlekelwa ezinye izinsimbi,” kusho uLeah Rouquette, umfundi ophothule emnyangweni.
Ezinqubweni ze-hydrometallurgical ezisetshenziswa njengamanje, izinto ze-ferrous ziyancibilika kuma-asidi angaphili. “Ukungcola” okufana ne-aluminium nethusi kuyasuswa bese kutholakala izinto ezisebenzayo ezifana ne-cobalt, i-nickel, i-manganese ne-lithium, ngokulandelana.
Kodwa-ke, abacwaningi baseSweden baphawula ukuthi ngisho nenani elincane le-aluminium nethusi elisele lidinga izinyathelo eziningi zokuhlanza, futhi isinyathelo ngasinye kule nqubo singabangela ukulahlekelwa yi-lithium. Besebenzisa indlela entsha, abacwaningi bashintshe ukuhleleka futhi banciphisa i-lithium ne-aluminium kuqala. Lokhu kubavumela ukuthi banciphise ukuchithwa kwezinsimbi eziyigugu ezidingekayo ukwenza amabhethri amasha.
Isinyathelo esilandelayo singaqhathaniswa nokupheka ikhofi: ngenkathi i-aluminium ne-lithium kusemanzini, izinsimbi ezisele zihlala “ziqinile”. Isinyathelo esilandelayo kule nqubo ukuhlukanisa i-aluminium ne-lithium. “Ngenxa yokuthi lezi zinsimbi zinezakhiwo ezihluke kakhulu, asicabangi ukuthi kuzoba nzima ukuzihlukanisa. Indlela yethu iyindlela entsha ethembisayo yokuvuselela amabhethri okufanele nakanjani ihlolwe kabanzi,” kusho uRouquette.
"Sidinga ezinye izindlela esikhundleni samakhemikhali angaphili. Enye yezingqinamba ezinkulu ezinqubweni zanamuhla ukususa izinto ezisele njenge-aluminium. Lena indlela entsha enganikeza ezinye izindlela ezintsha embonini yokuphathwa kwemfucuza futhi isize ekuxazululeni izinkinga ezibambezela ukukhula," kusho uprofesa womnyango. UMartina Petranikova Kodwa-ke, wanezela ngokuthi le ndlela idinga ucwaningo olwengeziwe: "Njengoba le ndlela ingakhuliswa, sithemba ukuthi ingasetshenziswa embonini eminyakeni ezayo."
Kusukela ngo-2011, besilokhu simboza ukuthuthukiswa kwezimoto zikagesi ngentshiseko yobuntatheli kanye nobuchwepheshe. Njengabezindaba abangochwepheshe abaphambili embonini, sinikeza ukumbozwa kwemicimbi okuseqophelweni eliphezulu kakhulu, okusebenza njengeplatifomu ephakathi yokuthuthukiswa okusheshayo kwalolu buchwepheshe. Kufaka phakathi izindaba, ulwazi lwangemuva, imibiko yokushayela, izingxoxo, amavidiyo kanye nolwazi lokukhushulwa.