EMR puts graphite recovery in focus in EV batteries

The industrial-scale recycling of lithium-ion batteries generally focuses on the metals of high economic value such as lithium, cobalt and nickel, rather than graphite. This is despite the fact that graphite is classed as a critical material, and commercial EV batteries can contain around 11 times more graphite than lithium by mass.

Alongside new EV batteries, graphite recovered by EMR can be used in steelmaking, the production of brake linings and to make new pencils.

EMR has continued to advance the technology which underpins the EV battery recycling industry including an initial research project (RECOVAS) which brought together recyclers, academics, engineering and energy specialists as well as automotive manufacturers including JLR, BMW and Bentley. Earlier this year, EMR consolidated the lessons learned during this project by opening its state-of-the-art Battery Recycling Centre in Coventry.     

Researchers at the University of Birmingham – supported by EMR’s team of expert recyclers – will now investigate the recovery and regeneration of graphite from ‘black mass’ (a collection of materials which is generated as EV batteries are shredded) as it is produced at various points during EMR’s innovative EV battery recycling processes.

The teams will also explore ways of upcycling the material to the highest-capacity graphite SiOx, ensuring it can be used in the most demanding applications.

If successful, the new industry sprint project will help to contain graphite within the UK’s circular economy and position the UK as a global authority on graphite recovery in EV battery recycling.

Industry Sprints dedicate small multidisciplinary teams of researchers to solve a commercially relevant research opportunity identified by the Faraday Institution.

 EMR’s Managing Director for Technology and Innovation, Roger Morton said: “At EMR, our team of dedicated recycling experts are proud to have led the way when it comes to end-of-life vehicle (ELV) recycling – and developing the technologies required for the transition to EVs continues this journey. 

“While much of the attention has so far focused on recovering metals such as lithium, cobalt and nickel from these vehicles’ high-performance batteries, the quantities of graphite present make finding environmentally friendly and economical ways of recovering this critical material a growing priority.

“The EMR team is very excited to now be working with the University of Birmingham on delivering an effective recycling and recovery strategy which can return this valuable material to the circular economy.

“As the recent arrival of our new Battery Recycling Centre in Birmingham shows, the era of industrial-scale EV battery recycling is already here but this new industry sprint highlights the huge potential that still exists to develop sustainable new technologies and processes that can improve how we operate.”