Evaluasi Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Proses Daur Ulang Baterai Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) Menggunakan Metode Carbothermal Reduction -Water Leaching

GIANN RIZKYA SAFFINA, Muhammad Mufti Azis, S.T., M.Sc., Ph.D. ; Prof. Indra Perdana, S.T., M.T., Ph.D.

2026 | Tesis | MAGISTER TEKNIK PENGENDALIAN PENCEMARAN INDUSTRIAL

Peningkatan penggunaan baterai lithium-ion (LIB) pada kendaraan listrik mendorong meningkatnya limbah baterai end-of-life (EoL) serta kebutuhan pemulihan material bernilai seperti lithium, nikel, mangan, dan kobalt. Salah satu metode yang berpotensi digunakan untuk mendaur ulang baterai Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) adalah carbothermal reduction-water leaching. Metode ini mengombinasikan proses reduksi termal pada suhu tinggi dengan proses pelindian menggunakan air tanpa penambahan bahan kimia asam. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menyusun life cycle inventory (LCI), mengevaluasi potensi dampak lingkungan, membandingkan kinerja lingkungan dengan proses hidrometalurgi konvensional, dan menganalisis sensitivitas. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) dengan batasan sistem grave-to-gate dan functional unit 1 kg Li2CO3. Data inventory diperoleh dari literatur, data laboratorium, asumsi teknis, dan basis data Ecoinvent yang kemudian dimodelkan menggunakan OpenLCA 2.4 dengan metode ReCipe 2016 v1.03 midpoint (H). Hasil LCA yang menunjukkan nilai climate change sebesar 30,34717 kg CO?-eq/kg Li?CO?, energy resource: non-renewable, fossil sebesar 7,07121 kg oil-eq/kg Li?CO?, acidification sebesar 0,09889 kg SO?-eq/kg Li?CO?, freshwater eutrophication sebesar 0,04903 kg P-eq/kg Li?CO?, dan water use sebesar 0,12944 m³/kg Li?CO?. Tahap carbothermal reduction menjadi hotspot utama dengan kontribusi sebesar 60,92–62,63%. Setelah avoided burden, nilai climate change menjadi 23,35717 kg CO?-eq/kg Li?CO? dan water use menunjukkan potensi manfaat dibandingkan produksi primer dengan net water use sebesar -0,437056 m³/kg Li?CO?. Analisis sensitivitas menunjukkan penggunaan listrik terbarukan menurunkan empat kategori dampak sebesar 84-97% tetapi meningkatkan water use sebesar 175%, sehingga menunjukkan adanya trade-off dalam pemilihan sumber energi dan pentingnya peningkatan efisiensi energi, khususnya pada tahap carbothermal reduction.

The increasing use of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) in electric vehicle is driving a rise in end-of-life (EoL) battery waste and the need to recover valuable materials such as lithium, nickel, manganese, and cobalt. One potential method for recycling nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) batteries is carbothermal reduction-water leaching. This method combines a high temperature thermal reduction process with a water leaching process without addition of chemical. This study aims to develop a life cycle inventory (LCI), evaluate potential environmental impacts, compare environmental performance with conventional hydrometallurgical process, and conduct a sensitivity analysis. This study employs the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method with a grave-to-gate system boundary and a functional unit of 1 kg Li2CO3. Inventory data were obtained from the literature, laboratory data, technical assumptions, and the Ecoinvent database, which were then modeled using OpenLCA 2.4 with ReCipe 2016 v1.03 midpoint (H) method. The LCA result showed a climate change value of 30,34717 kg CO?-eq/kg Li?CO?, energy resource: non-renewable, fossil at 7,07121 kg oil-eq/kg Li?CO?, acidification of 0,09889 kg SO?-eq/kg Li?CO?, freshwater eutrophication of 0,04903 kg P-eq/kg Li?CO?, and water use of 0,12944 m³/kg Li?CO?. The carbothermal reduction stage was the primary hotspot, contributing 60,92-62,63%. After accounting for the avoid burden, the climate change value become 23,35717 kg CO?-eq/kg Li?CO? and water use shows a potential benefit compared to primary production with a net water use of -0,437056 m³/kg Li?CO?. Sensitivity analysis shows that the use of renewable electricity reduces the four impact categories by 84-97% but increases water use by 175%, indicating a trade-off in energy source selection and the importance of improving energy efficienct, particularly in the carbothermal reduction stage.

Kata Kunci : Baterai NMC, Life Cycle Assessment, Carbothermal Reduction, Water leaching.