Imagine for a moment that the worst industrial errors of the past become the fuel of our future and are even more ecological. An optimistic scenario to say the least, but one which has perhaps just been born in the laboratories of Rice University, in Houston, Texas. One of the major ecological battles of our time is undoubtedly the fight against PFAS, these “eternal pollutants” which are now found everywhere.
Instead of trying to destroy these toxic substances, the American team decided to find a way to profit from them. According to a study published in the journal Nature Water and relayed by Gizmodo, these indestructible molecules could well be the key to responding to the energy crisis linked to lithium which could occur in the coming years.
By 2030, global demand for this alkali metal risks greatly exceeding supply, creating a major crisis that could slow down the energy transition. Lithium is in fact used in particular to manufacture rechargeable batteries.
Concretely, the researchers used activated carbon saturated with PFAS as a sort of electrode immersed in a very salty brine, then they heated the whole thing suddenly to 1,000°C before cooling it, to break the PFAS bonds and release the fluorine.
An ecological and economic impact
The fluoride thus released binds to the lithium ions present in the brine to form very pure lithium fluoride, which is then recovered by heating it to its boiling point in order to obtain quality lithium, while transforming the PFAS into non-toxic residues: “By viewing waste as a potentially useful compound, we were able to convert problematic PFAS into a precious metal that can be used in batteries, for example”explains Yi Chang, co-author of the study, in an official press release.
The process has everything to be revolutionary, particularly because of the ecological and economic impact it can have. According to the researchers, this method would be both beneficial for the planet and extremely profitable. Enough to interest industrialists in the sector.
For the consumer, this discovery could be synonymous with cheaper and more durable batteries, and therefore greater ease in separating from fossil fuels. Of course, it will still take time for this process to move from the laboratory to the factory, but there is hope.
By transforming an ecological scourge into a strategic resource, Rice researchers have proven that PFAS are not necessarily inevitable.
