Prime Highlights
- A UK consortium secured more than £3 million to develop a lithium-ion battery recycling system.
- The ReCAM project aims to turn battery waste into reusable battery materials through a faster refining process.
Key Facts
- ReCAM project focuses on recycling black mass from lithium-ion batteries.
- The project includes UKBIC, Watercycle Technologies, Recyclus Group and Polaron.
Background
A UK consortium has secured more than £3 million in funding to develop a new lithium-ion battery recycling process aimed at improving battery material recovery and supporting the country’s growing electric vehicle sector.
The funding was awarded through the Battery Innovation Programme supported by the UK government and will support the ReCAM project. The project brings together the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre, Watercycle Technologies, Recyclus Group and Polaron to build a modular recycling system capable of processing 250 kilograms of material per hour at recycling sites.
The project focuses on recycling black mass, a by-product created during lithium-ion battery disposal that contains minerals such as lithium, nickel, cobalt and manganese. Project partners said the UK currently sends much of this material overseas for refining because of limited local processing capacity.
The consortium plans to use a patented refining method that converts black mass directly into cathode active material for reuse in new batteries. The process is designed to reduce multiple refining stages and improve overall recycling efficiency.
Project leaders said the initiative could help reduce transport emissions, recover valuable materials and strengthen the UK battery supply chain as demand for electric vehicles continues to rise.
As part of the project, Polaron will apply its AI-based materials platform to study and improve recycled battery materials. The company said the technology will help speed up the use of recycled materials in battery production while maintaining performance standards.
The ReCAM project also reflects growing investment in battery recycling and clean energy technologies as industries look for more sustainable ways to support future electric mobility and battery manufacturing demand.
