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Batteries are fundamental to the sustainable energy transition, playing a key role in both powering devices and storing renewable energy. They are also essential in the shift towards greener automotive solutions. However, battery life cycles face significant environmental challenges, including the harmful impacts of extraction and refining processes and inefficiencies in recycling. Both researchers and policymakers are striving to improve battery technologies through a combination of bottom–up innovations and top–down regulations. This study aims to bridge the gap between scientific advancements and policy frameworks by conducting a Systematic Literature Review of 177 papers. The review identifies innovative solutions to mitigate challenges across the battery life cycle, from production to disposal. A key outcome of this work is the creation of the life cycle management framework, designed to align scientific developments with regulatory strategies, providing an integrated approach to address life cycle challenges. This framework offers a comprehensive tool to guide stakeholders in fostering a sustainable battery ecosystem, contributing to the objectives set by the European Commission's battery regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an indispensable component and intermediate bridge, electrochemical battery as an indispensable component is essential for power supply reliability, stability, grid-friendly interaction, sustainability with e-transportation and building electrification. However, the lifecycle carbon intensity of electrochemical batteries is uncertain throughout lifecycle battery-related activities. In this study, a generic methodology is proposed to accurately quantify the lifecycle carbon intensity of electrochemical batteries. A cross-scale multi-stage analytic platform with inter-disciplinary and trans-disciplinary is formulated, involving battery materials (anode, cathode, electrolyte), charging/discharging behaviours, cascade battery utilization, recycling, and reproduction. A case study on a zero-energy district in subtropical Guangzhou indicates that lifetime EV battery carbon intensity is +556 kg CO 2,eq /kWh for the scenario with pure fossil fuel-based grid reliance, while the minimum carbon intensity of EVs at −860 kg CO 2,eq /kWh can be achieved for the solar-wind supported scenario. The grid mandatory EVs charging will slightly increase the battery carbon intensity to −617.2 kg CO 2,eq /kWh, and the exclusion of embodied carbon on both solar PV and wind turbines will increase the battery carbon intensity to −583.8 kg CO 2,eq /kWh. The proposed approach and formulated platform can enable synthetical and comprehensive analysis on battery sustainability, throughout integrated cross-disciplinary approaches for 2060 carbon neutrality in China. [Display omitted] • A cross-disciplinary platform for lifecycle battery carbon footprint. • Raw materials, manufacturing & assembling, and retired battery recycling. • Renewable-based carbon-negative offsetting over carbon-positive stages. • Solar-wind energy district for carbon intensity transit from positive to negative. • Carbon intensity with exclusion of embodied carbon on solar PV and wind turbines • Digital twin on battery sustainability in energy digitalization era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past 20 years, a revolution has been seen in battery research culminating with a much‐awaited Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2019 for the development of Li‐ion batteries. New Li‐ion battery materials have been developed recently with improvements in performance. New Li battery chemistries have also emerged, exhibiting high energy density such as Li‐S, Li‐O2, Li‐metal with solid state electrolytes as well as zero‐excess Li anode metal batteries. This is tremendous progress and batteries are becoming more efficient and cheaper each year. Yet, most research in batteries is entirely focused on performance while the sustainability of all battery components making up the cell, as well as the battery chemistry itself are much overlooked. In this essay some perspectives are discussed and opinion is provided on the advancement of sustainability in battery research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium-ion batteries (LIB) stand as ubiquitous power sources in the industrial sector, with a mounting emphasis on their sustainability considerations, where safety, durability, and recyclability are all considered. Within the intricate architecture of LIB, the anode sheet processes a stratified composition comprising an active material layer and a copper foil serving as the current collector. The delamination of the active materials from the current collector is one of the major mechanical failure exhibitions for battery short circuits and deteriorated electrochemical performance. On the contrary, the interfacial strength between the active materials and the current collector also determines the battery manufacturing quality and battery recycling success. To cope with this emerging challenge, we designed quantifiable laser shock-wave adhesion tests to characterize the adhesion strength and delamination behaviors between pure Si-based active materials and the current collector. A physics-based computational model is also established to quantify the adhesion strength further. We discovered that the C-Si sheet is easier for delamination as layer buckling due to the more severe stress concentration around the particles due to the heterogeneity of the carbon and silicon particles. Results highlight the promise to evaluate the delamination behaviors of the current materials via an innovative methodology and provide powerful tools for next-generation sustainable battery design.