Key Highlights :
Scrap aluminum can now be collected and transformed into new vehicle parts using an innovative process being developed by the automotive industry, in particular for electric vehicles. Today, the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, in collaboration with leading mobility technology company Magna, unveils a new manufacturing process that reduces more than 50% of the embodied energy and more than 90% of the carbon dioxide emissions by eliminating the need to mine and refine the same amount of raw aluminum ore. Lightweight aluminum can also help extend EV driving range.
"The aluminum industry has known for some time that there are other ways to recycle aluminum cans, but this new process is the first to develop a way to make lightweight aluminum parts without any additional processing," said Dr. Rajesh K. Singh, PNNL's Materials Research Scientist and lead author of the paper. "This could have a big impact on electric vehicle technology, as it could make it possible to use more lightweight parts that would improve the cars' performance and range."
The new process starts by milling the aluminum cans into small pieces. Then, a gas-fired thermal oxidizer converts the aluminum into a black oxide, which is burned off in the air. This leaves a black powder that is easily transported and processed into aluminum parts. This process results in a 50% reduction in the weight of the aluminum parts and a 90% reduction in the carbon dioxide emissions.
"This is an important step forward in the development of electric vehicles," said Magna President and CEO Peter Magna. "Our partnership with PNNL and our commitment to sustainable manufacturing practices are key to helping make this technology a reality."
The new process is currently being tested at PNNL's National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado. If it is successful, it could be used to make lightweight aluminum parts for electric vehicles, aircraft, and other products.