European tech recovers EV battery-grade lithium from spent cells

A collaboration between two European companies, Belgium-based Syensqo and Germany-based cylib, has pioneered a novel technology to recover high-purity lithium hydroxide from spent electric vehicle (EV) batteries. Their integrated process can handle various battery chemistries on a single operating line, simplifying lithium recovery and purification. This approach uses a hydrometallurgical method enhanced by Syensqo’s patented solvent extraction technology, resulting in lithium hydroxide purity that exceeds the standards required by cathode active material (CAM) manufacturers. Notably, cylib’s water-based OLiC process reduces the carbon footprint of lithium extraction by 80% compared to traditional raw material extraction methods. The innovation addresses the growing environmental and supply challenges posed by the increasing number of end-of-life EV batteries and the rising demand for lithium. Conventional recycling methods often require different processing lines for various battery chemistries, increasing costs and complexity. By unifying these steps, the Syensqo-cylib collaboration offers a scalable and