Aachen-based recycling company “cylib” and Belgian chemical group Syensqo have announced progress in recovering lithium from used electric vehicle batteries. According to the partners, they have successfully extracted battery-grade lithium hydroxide from black mass on a pilot scale. The companies claim their procedure allows for the simultaneous processing of various cell chemistries, including NMC and LFP, on a single production line. This is intended to simplify process control and reduce investment costs.
Extraction agent with high selectivity for lithium
The companies state that they combined a hydrometallurgical process from “cylib” with solution extraction technology from Syensqo for the recovery process. The extraction agent was developed by Syensqo and is characterized by its high selectivity for lithium. Further process steps, such as purification and crystallization, were carried out to convert to lithium hydroxide. According to the partners, the end product meets the purity requirements of leading cathode material manufacturers. The technology strives to address the impending regulatory imperatives of the European Union, stipulating that by the end of 2027, at least 50 percent of the lithium content must be recovered from battery waste, increasing to at least 80 percent by the end of 2031.
