Research confirms Altilium’s recycled cathode materials match performance of mined materials
New research carried out by Imperial College London indicates that recycled EV battery materials produced by UK-based Altilium can match the performance of mined materials.
Imperial’s analysis of Altilium’s commercial-grade recycled cathode active materials (CAM), which it began producing late last year, confirmed improvements in purity, morphology and electrochemical performance compared to commercially available materials, according to the company. This can potentially deliver improvements in battery performance, including longer battery life, faster charging times and lower costs.
Under the research program, Imperial carried out extensive electrochemical testing of coin cells and pouch cells manufactured with recycled CAM produced at Altilium’s ACT1 facility in Devon. The results demonstrated high rate and cycle performance compared to commercially available CAM used in high-nickel nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) 811 batteries. Altilium’s cycle cell capacity exceeded 150 mAh.g⁻¹, outperforming typical ranges for mined materials.
The analysis also showed advancements in particle size and distribution, contributing to improved stability and cycling behavior. Minor changes observed during testing affirmed the recycled CAM’s chemical and physical robustness. Consistent particle sizes aid in the production of CAM with better electrochemical properties.
Altilium’s EcoCathode process can recover over 95% of critical metals, including lithium, from end-of-life EV batteries. Unlike mined ores, which vary in quality and require extensive refining to remove impurities, recycled materials are derived from standardized, manufactured batteries, reducing impurities and variability in metal composition. Recycled CAM precursors can also retain favorable crystal structures and grain morphology, which can be leveraged during re-synthesis for high-performance materials.
“Altilium is working with the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) to produce battery cells using its recycled CAM, for validation with a leading automotive OEM,” the company said.
Source: Altilium
