Newly developed recycling processes are expected to be more flexible and adaptive, to be able to meet a wide variety of battery waste or production scrap resulting from cross different Li-battery chemistries (i.e. with and without transition metals). These recycling processes are expected to aim at recovering the highest amount of resources (e.g. metals, graphite, fluorinated compounds and polymers, active materials) present within secondary raw materials which result from spent Li-batteries with and without transition metals and focus on the reuse of these materials in batteries.

Focus should be on developing materials recycling routes which as directly as possible target next-generation battery cathode and anode materials.

Proposals are expected to aim at the outmost recovery rates and recovered material purity, meeting industrial requirements for their integration in the loop of cell manufacturing, in line with values reflected in Partnership Strategic Research Agenda (SRA). Additionally, proposals are expected to develop new unit processes, or innovative combinations of optimised unit processes, including, but not limited to mechanical pre-processing, leaching, precipitation, solvent extraction, ion exchange, centrifuging, crystallisation, electrowinning, roasting, smelting, pyrolysis, shock wave disruption and direct reuse of materials and components. Proposals are expected to identify and address health risks, environmental impacts, safety hazards and new safety practices related to developed processes.

This topic implements the co-programmed European Partnership on ‘Towards a competitive European industrial battery value chain for stationary applications and e-mobility’.