Japanese chemical and green technology company Green Science Alliance (GSA) opened a battery recycling laboratory in Biel, Switzerland on October 19, 2026. Together with the Swiss Battery Technology Center (SBTC), it plans to process cathode materials from used lithium-ion batteries for use in new batteries. The laboratory is located at Switzerland Innovation Park Biel/Bienne (SIPBB) in the canton of Bern.
Reusing Cathode Materials Directly
The work focuses on so-called black mass. This dark powder is produced by mechanically processing used lithium-ion batteries and contains valuable electrode materials. Conventional recycling methods dissolve black mass using acids or bases to recover individual metals. Further processing steps are required before those metals can be reused.
GSA instead aims to regenerate the cathode active materials directly, without fully breaking them down into their constituent elements. This could eliminate processing steps and reduce resource use.
According to the company, batteries made with regenerated cathode materials achieved more than 90% of the initial capacity of comparable batteries using commercial materials in early tests. Development covers both nickel-manganese-cobalt and lithium iron phosphate batteries.
Industrial Viability Remains Under Investigation
The partners plan to examine regenerated materials, manufacture electrodes and cells, and then test their performance. They also intend to assess the process’s industrial potential and scalability. GSA plans to commercialize the technology in Europe through the SIPBB network and establish further joint research projects.
Source:
https://ggba.swiss/en/japanese-greentech-company-gsa-opens-a-battery-recycling-lab-in-biel-bienne/
