A research team at Rice University led by James Tour has developed a two-step flash Joule heating-chlorination and oxidation (FJH-ClO) process that rapidly separates lithium and transition metals from spent lithium-ion batteries. The method provides an acid-free, energy-saving alternative to conventional recycling techniques, a breakthrough that aligns with the surging global demand for batteries used in electric vehicles and portable electronics.
Published in Advanced Materials , this research could transform the recovery of critical battery materials. Traditional recycling methods are often energy intensive, generate wastewater and frequently require harsh chemicals. In contrast, the FJH-ClO process achieves high yields and purity of lithium, cobalt and graphite while reducing energy consumption, chemical usage and costs.
"We designed the FJH-ClO process to challenge the notion that battery recycling must rely on acid leaching," said Tour, the T.T. and W.F. Chao Professor of Chemistry and professor of materials science and nanoengineering. "FJH-ClO is a fast, precise way to extract valuable materials without damaging them or harming the environment."
Quick, controlled heating
The rapid increase in the use of lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles and consumer electronics has intensified the need for sustainable recycling technologies. Existing recycling methods are often costly and inefficient while producing significant amounts of wastewater.
To tackle these challenges, the research team developed a two-step process that uses brief bursts of heat and air instead of harsh chemicals. First, the battery materials are briefly heated with chlorine gas, which breaks them down. They then undergo a second heating in air, transforming most of the metals into forms that can be separated from lithium. Because lithium does not form an oxide as easily as other metals, it remains as the chloride, which can be easily extracted using water.
Previous methods required lengthy processes and strong acids. The FJH-ClO approach, however, uses fast, controlled heating and simple reactions to make the separation process cleaner and faster.
Holistic recovery
Tests have shown that the new process can recover nearly all valuable materials from used batteries, including lithium, cobalt and graphite, with high purity. Early analyses suggest that even at a small scale, it may require about half as much energy, 95% fewer chemicals and significantly lower costs compared to existing methods.
These results establish a scalable, acid-free approach for the comprehensive recovery of lithium-ion battery materials, offering both environmental and economic advantages while setting a new standard for sustainable battery recycling.
"It's rewarding to see a process that's both scientifically sound and practically useful," said Shichen Xu, the study's first author and a Rice postdoctoral researcher. "That balance is what makes real-world impact possible."
Future implications
This process paves the way for large-scale implementation and integration into the battery supply chain. It provides a foundation for recovering valuable materials while reducing the need for virgin mining.
With the FJH-ClO process already proven at the laboratory scale, the researchers plan to scale the process through their startup, Flash Metals USA, a division of Metallium Ltd.
"This is more than just a lab experiment," Tour said. "It's a blueprint for how the industry can meet the demand for battery materials without further straining the planet."
Co-authors of this study include Justin Sharp, Qiming Liu, Jaeho Shin, Haoxin Ye, Kaiwen Yang, Carter Kittrell, Haojie Zhu, Carolyn Teng, Bowen Li, Shihui Chen and Karla Silva from Rice's Department of Chemistry; Ralph Abdel Nour from its Applied Physics Program and Smalley-Curl Institute; and Khalil JeBailey, Boris Yakobson and Yufeng Zhao from its Department of Materials Science and NanoEngineering.
This research was supported by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
