Cobalt uses: Superalloys and beyondīolstering demand are the many other cobalt uses aside from batteries. If progress is made in substitution, it’s possible battery technologies could change to include less cobalt, and as a result have higher energy density. Cobalt production in the African country is about 60 percent of the world’s total cobalt supply, with most cobalt mined as by-product of copper. Some battery makers are now looking at ways to use more nickel and less cobalt in lithium-ion batteries.įor instance, Asian battery manufacturers are aiming to change the ratio of their cathode materials from 60 percent nickel, 20 percent cobalt and 20 percent manganese to 80 percent nickel, 10 percent cobalt and 10 percent manganese.Īs yet, it is not possible to totally replace cobalt, but some battery makers are trying to do so due to the stigma of human rights violations associated with its mining, particularly in the cobalt mines of the Democratic Republic of Congo. This increasing need for cobalt drove prices up substantially in 2017 and early 2018, and there have been efforts to find a substitute for the material in lithium-ion batteries. They are powered by lithium-ion batteries, and as noted, cobalt is one of the key raw materials in these batteries. This number is expected to continue to rise due to increased demand for smartphones, electric cars and other electronics that require rechargeable batteries.Įlectric cars in particular have become a huge source of cobalt demand in recent years. Case in point: in the mid-1990s, only 1 percent of cobalt was used in electronics, but now the Cobalt Institute states that 50 percent of the cobalt produced globally is found in rechargeable batteries. These batteries have been stabilized and now contain up to 60 percent cobalt per cell.ĭemand for rechargeable batteries has risen sharply in the last couple of decades. Similarly, the first versions of lithium-ion batteries were found to be too reactive, resulting in battery fires. Engineers found that adding cobalt solved many of these problems. It is crucial in the manufacturing of these batteries because it helps them overcome numerous issues.įor example, early iterations of nickel-metal hydride batteries had issues such as a poor lifecycle, internal cell pressure and corrosion. Superalloys of cobalt are highly magnetic and corrosive resistant and are widely used in turbines, motor parts, etc.One of cobalt’s main applications right now is in rechargeable batteries of all kinds. These magnets are also used in places where temperatures are very high. It is magnetic but its alloy alnico, a combination of aluminum, nickel, and cobalt is used to make powerful magnets that are used in high-speed motors. Uses of CobaltĬobalt compounds are in use for centuries. It is used in the treatment and diagnosis of cancer. It is slightly toxic to the skin but ingestion can cause health effects.Ĭobalt-60 radioisotope is of great importance. In aquatic environments, cyanobacteria and other nitrogen-fixing bacteria require it. The animals which are mineral deficient are given cobalt. Cobalt is used to treat anemia as it regulates the production of red blood cells. Cobalt is the central atom in vitamin B 12. Cobalt is required for making active sites of enzymes and for their proper functioning. Cobalt is an essential trace element in living things.
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