Demand for lithium-ion batteries is growing rapidly – along with the need for economically viable recycling solutions.
Demand for lithium-ion batteries is growing rapidly – along with the need for economically viable recycling solutions.
During the processing of end-of-life lithium-ion batteries, so-called black mass is generated, which contains critical value streams such as lithium, graphite, copper, and—depending on cell chemistry—nickel, manganese, and cobalt (NMC) or iron phosphate (LFP). While recycling of NMC black mass has become economically established, there is still no viable solution for the increasingly dominant LFP cell type.
The low market value of iron phosphate makes conventional processes uneconomical – efficient recovery of lithium, graphite, and iron phosphate from LFP black mass is currently hardly feasible.
ReLith is a novel, electrochemically assisted recycling process for LFP black mass that enables, for the first time, an economically viable recovery of critical raw materials from LFP-based lithium-ion batteries.
At the core of the process is a circular design in which leaching and the separation of metallic components are not carried out as independent steps, but are deliberately coupled through electrochemical control. Leaching agents and key separation operations are generated and controlled directly within the process, respectively. This enables the selective recovery of the contained value streams – without the use of externally added chemicals and based solely on electrical energy input.
By integrating these process steps, additional unit operations are eliminated and overall energy use becomes more efficient. This integrated approach improves resource efficiency and, in particular, enables economically viable processing of LFP black mass despite its low intrinsic material value.
From the processed black mass, lithium hydroxide or lithium carbonate, graphite, copper, and iron phosphate are recovered. In addition, hydrogen is generated as a by-product during electrochemical operation, which can be utilized energetically or integrated into existing infrastructures.
The ReLith process is primarily designed for the treatment of LFP black mass but can also be adapted flexibly to varying material compositions and mixed feedstocks. The technology is currently being transferred from pilot to demonstration scale and validated.
ReLith is designed for industrial partners across the lithium-ion battery value chain:
The process can be integrated into existing recycling infrastructures and supports the development of closed material loops.
Are you interested in our ESy-Screening? Then register at ReLith@esy-labs.de or get in touch with us. You can find out which events we will be attending on our news page.
