Reducing the cost of battery recycling

Scaling the production of battery materials is vital for achieving net-zero energy systems. However, scaling this industry without addressing resource sustainability represents an environmentally and economically unfavourable path. Currently, most lithium-ion battery recyclable substrate (“black mass”) is processed using energy-intensive smelting or complex and expensive chemical processes. Despite advances, the development of efficient and scalable recovery technologies remains a major barrier to closing the battery materials loop.

This study presents a zero-waste, room-temperature process for rapidly recovering high-purity battery materials directly from black mass. Developed at the University of Cambridge, this patented method achieves ~99% metal recovery within minutes, reuses reagents in a closed-loop system, and avoids toxic byproducts. It is compatible with industrial scale-up and validated on both purified cathodes and commercial black mass. By addressing the key bottleneck of economical metal separation, this technology reduces reliance on primary mining and enables localized, circular supply chains, transforming battery waste into a strategic resource for a resilient, net-zero future.