Please note that this project is open to UK applicants only.

Battery manufacturers are on the threshold of producing gigatonnes of batteries for transportation and energy markets around the world, but there are concerns about the new impacts this will bring. Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) typically require six times more metal than their internal combustion engine (ICE) counterparts, so a parallel expansion in mining is expected to meet this demand. The environmental, economic and social impacts of this global expansion are significant and need to be assessed, so that we do not replace one environmental disaster (climate change) with another (ecosystem damage).

The circular economy for electric vehicles, which seeks to recover waste at all stages of the life cycle, has been proposed as a partial solution to reduce the need for new extraction activities and their associated impacts. However, there are many questions to be answered, which require complete systems and life cycle thinking. The long lifespan of battery electric vehicles (typically 8 to 15 years) and uncertainty about where they will end their lives, especially as the global used car market for electric vehicles grows, leads to a lack of clarity about how effective recycling will be in displacing mining expansion in the future. In addition, waste flows that occur along the battery supply chain, such as mine tailings, overburden, or production scrap, are often not taken into account and, if appropriately managed, may be able to delay demand for new extraction processes. Production efficiencies that reduce material waste, or simplify the recycling process, should be identified and taken into account.

This interdisciplinary PhD project aims to provide a clear picture of the landscape of battery manufacturing, waste and end-of-life treatment. The project objectives are:

1. Identify waste flows and energy requirements across the lithium-ion battery supply chain, as well as current and future technologies to recover these materials to make new batteries.
   2. Consider the associated material and energy requirements of competing battery chemistries and how they may mitigate or exacerbate the extraction burden from the more impactful metals.
   3. Identify scenarios for future production (next 10 to 30 years), recycling and waste management, taking into account current and potential regulations around the world and considering what is needed to effectively replace new mining expansions.
   4. Using these scenarios, develop a model for the emergence of a global zero-waste circular battery supply chain, outlining the timeline for this development and setting key objectives, e.g. percentage recovery, recycling volumes, etc.
   5. Compare the environmental and economic impacts of the selected scenarios.
   6. Determine the optimal path for developing a circular battery economy, identify the necessary production and recycling technologies and a realistic timetable for their development.

This PhD scholarship is supervised by Dr Jacqueline Edge (jsedge@bham.ac.uk) based in the School of Metals and Materials, University of Birmingham.

Financing information

Please note that this project is open to UK applicants only. Candidates must have at least 2 (1) in an engineering or scientific discipline or 2 (2) plus Master’s or equivalent. The successful applicant will receive a tax-free salary of £20,780 per annum, tuition fees covered. To apply, please first send a CV and cover letter summarizing your research interests and suitability for the role to jsedge@bham.ac.uk and feel free to get in touch with any queries in advance.