Invited Paper NS-TuM10
Transformations and Biological Impact of Emerging Energy Storage Nanomaterials

Tuesday, November 8, 2016, 11:00 am, Room 101D

The rapid increase in mobile electronics and electric vehicle technologies is leading to a rapid escalation in the use of complex oxides as cathode materials in the lithium-ion batteries that power these devices. Economic factors are driving a trend toward mixed-oxide materials such as Li_xNi_yMn_zCo_1-y-z O₂ (“NMC”) that combine high performance with low cost. However, these materials also incorporate substantial amounts of metals such as Ni and Co that may post environmental risk, and there is not current any national infrastructure for recycling of these materials. We have been investigating the transformation of these emerging nanomaterials and the resulting biological impact as revealed through acute and chronic mortality studies and gene expression studies using Shewanella oneidensis and Daphnia magna as model organisms. Further molecular-level insights are provided by detailed investigations of NMC interactions with supported lipid bilayers. Our results show that this class of materials induces toxic effects through multiple pathways; with Shewanella with effects can be attributed almost exclusively to the redox dissolution of the NMC to form Ni²⁺ and Co²⁺ ions in solution; in contrast, ion-equivalent controls cannot reproduce the effects observed with Daphnia magna. These results highlight the need to develop a mechanistic understanding of the transformation of nanomaterials in the environment and the resulting impacts. Some perspectives on potential strategies for redesign to reduce adverse biological impact will be presented.