WPI Researchers Unveil Efficient, Eco-Friendly Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling Method

According to foreign media reports, researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), led by Professor Yan Wang from the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, have developed a brand-new, scalable lithium-ion battery recycling method. This method is efficient and environmentally friendly, representing an important step forward for sustainable energy technology.

Image Source: Worcester Polytechnic Institute

The team's research is titled "Upcycling Mixed Spent Ni-Lean Cathodes into Ni-Rich Polycrystalline Cathodes," published in the journal "Energy Storage Materials." The paper details an innovative hydrometallurgical upcycling method that offers both environmental and performance advantages compared to traditional recycling methods.

This process is specifically designed for waste mixed Ni-lean cathode materials, which are commonly found in spent lithium-ion batteries.

Traditional recycling methods struggle to effectively recover these materials and often rely on energy-intensive processes that produce outputs of low value. In contrast, the new method recovers over 92% of key metals—nickel, cobalt, and manganese—and converts them into high-performance cathode powder.

Tests show that batteries made from these recycled materials perform comparably to those made from virgin materials. In commercial-scale pouch cells, the capacity remains at 88% after 500 charging cycles and above 85% after 900 charging cycles.

The new process saves 8.6% energy consumption compared to traditional hydrometallurgy methods and significantly reduces carbon emissions—13.9% less than traditional recycling, slightly higher than direct upgrading and remanufacturing.

Professor Wang stated, "This work not only addresses the environmental challenges posed by battery waste but also helps reduce our reliance on mining for critical materials. We have demonstrated that it is possible to produce high-performance batteries on a large scale using recycled materials, which is crucial for building a more sustainable and resilient battery supply chain."

This innovation directly addresses two major challenges: the increasing amount of battery waste and the global demand for key materials used in electric vehicles and other clean energy technologies.

As the industry and policymakers focus on sustainable solutions, this advancement is expected to play a key role in building a more circular and climate-conscious battery economy.