A research team at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), led by Professor Yan Wang, has developed a scalable and environmentally improved method for lithium battery recycling.
The lithium battery recycling process, detailed in the journal Energy Storage Materials, focuses on upcycling mixed nickel-lean cathodes into nickel-rich polycrystalline cathodes – offering both performance and sustainability benefits over conventional recycling techniques.
Traditional methods often struggle to recover nickel-lean cathode materials efficiently and rely on energy-intensive processes that yield lower-value outputs. In contrast, Wang’s hydrometallurgical approach recovers over 92% of critical metals – nickel, cobalt and manganese – and converts them into high-performance cathode powders.
Testing results show that batteries made with these recycled materials retain 88% of their capacity after 500 cycles and over 85% after 900 cycles in commercial-scale pouch cells. The process also consumes 8.6% less energy than standard hydrometallurgical recycling and reduces carbon emissions by 13.9%, outperforming both conventional and direct upcycling methods.
“This work not only addresses the environmental challenges of battery waste but also helps reduce our dependence on mining for critical materials,” said Wang. “We’ve shown that it’s possible to create high-performance batteries from recycled materials at scale, which is essential for building a more sustainable and resilient battery supply chain.”
