Altilium has filed a patent application for its proprietary EcoCathode™ recycling process, underlining its technical leadership in the UK and its commitment to establishing a national champion for EV battery recycling.

The patent provides a process, apparatus and system for recovering battery metals (such as cobalt, manganese, nickel and lithium) and graphite, and the production of battery precursors and battery-ready cathode active materials (CAM), from black mass (comprising a mixed feed of critical compounds or elements).

Through microstructure reengineering, Altilium’s EcoCathode™ process represents a significant stride in clean technology and sustainable EV battery recycling in the UK. Recovering over 95% of crucial metals from old EV batteries, the technology will contribute to a sustainable domestic supply of battery raw materials, reducing carbon emissions by over 50% and reducing the cost of CAM by more than 20% compared to conventional virgin mining practices.

Mixed feed

The EcoCathode™ process is tailored to accommodate every battery chemistry, including end-of-life batteries from EVs, cell phones and laptops, as well as Gigafactory scrap and even primary nickel.

Green technology

Through our innovative green technology, we reengineer cathode metals, yielding a comprehensive suite of low-carbon precursors of lithium, nickel, cobalt and manganese.

Our technological edge lies in the meticulous recovery of all battery grade precursors through multiple steps, creating the highest quality feed for CAM synthesis. The focus on microstructure materials redesign ensures sustainable battery materials without compromising performance or value, embedding sustainability into new battery materials.

Leveraging bioleaching techniques using natural bacteria reduces acid use and processing temperatures in leaching stages.

Compared to competitors, our process boasts a 60% reduction in sodium sulphate, mitigating a significant waste stream issue prevalent in this new industry.

Upcycling to high-nickel CAM

Building on conventional recycling, we upcycle old EV batteries into the latest chemistry cathode variants of high-nickel Cathode Active Material (CAM), seamlessly integrating them into new batteries and closing the loop in EV battery production.

Graphite recovery

Our commitment to sustainability extends to achieving over 99% graphite recovery and purification. This reclaimed graphite, sourced through our optimised process, undergoes a redesign for future use in an anode refining process. Not only does this approach amplify payables through additional streams, but it also fully closes the loop in battery production.