EV Battery Recycling Patents

EV battery recycling patents cover battery pack disassembly and safe discharge innovations; mechanical shredding and black mass separation innovations; hydrometallurgical leaching solvent extraction and precipitation innovations; and direct recycling cathode relithiation and resynthesis innovations — with IP held by recycling companies, battery OEMs, and materials companies: MAJOR EV BATTERY RECYCLING PATENT HOLDERS: REDWOOD MATERIALS: 200+; specific hydromet innovations (specific specific Redwood hydrometallurgy: specific specific black mass leaching H₂SO₄ 5% pH 1.5 from specific specific reductive leaching H₂O₂ Fe/Mn reduction from specific specific SX solvent extraction cobalt from specific specific Co sulfate 99.5% purity from specific specific Ni sulfate 99.5% purity from specific specific Mn sulfate 99.5% purity from specific specific Li₂CO₃ 99.5% from specific specific Na₂CO₃ precipitation from specific specific copper foil reclaim 98% purity from specific specific aluminum foil reclaim from specific specific back to cathode active material from specific specific 95% Co Ni Mn Li yield from specific specific Reno NV plant 100 GWh/yr 2025 from specific specific Panasonic JMC partnership from specific specific Ford VW supply agreement from specific specific 35K tonnes black mass/yr capacity); LI-CYCLE: 200+; specific Spoke-Hub innovations (specific specific Spoke mechanical: specific specific complete discharge to <0 V from specific specific submerged shredding water bath from specific specific 95% safe explosion-free from specific specific NMP solvent optional from specific specific coarse shred 25 mm from specific specific fine shred <2 mm from specific specific froth flotation current collector from specific specific black mass 50-70% active material from specific specific aluminum copper current collector sep from specific specific Hub Rochester hydromet: specific specific 95% recovery rate from specific specific 20+ materials output from specific specific Li Ni Co Mn Cu Al from specific specific 1M EV battery equivalent/yr); UMICORE: 300+; BATTERY RESOURCES: 100+; ACCUREC: 100+.

Selective leaching of NMC LFP cathode active material with pH control and reductant innovations; solvent extraction SX and ion exchange IX separation of cobalt nickel manganese lithium innovations; and lithium precipitation evaporation and purification innovations represent core EV battery recycling patent domains: HYDROMET PATENTS: REDWOOD; LI-CYCLE; UMICORE; RETRIEV: specific hydromet innovations (specific specific acid leaching: specific specific H₂SO₄ 1-4 M from specific specific 50-80°C pH 0-2 from specific specific 95-99% Co Ni Mn Li dissolution from specific specific reductive agent: specific specific H₂O₂ 1-3% v/v from specific specific glucose ascorbic acid from specific specific Fe³⁺ → Fe²⁺ Mn⁴⁺ → Mn²⁺ from specific specific selective precipitation: specific specific pH step precipitation from specific specific pH 3-4 Fe Al remove from specific specific pH 5-6 Mn hydroxide from specific specific Co oxalate pH 7 from specific specific Ni sulfate evaporation from specific specific solvent extraction: specific specific Cyanex 272 cobalt specific from specific specific D2EHPA copper from specific specific PC-88A nickel from specific specific kerosene diluent from specific specific McCabe-Thiele stages from specific specific 99.9% pure metal sulfate from specific specific ion exchange: specific specific Lewatit TP-220 Ni selective from specific specific DowEx G26 H+ form from specific specific Chelex 100 from specific specific lithium recovery: specific specific Na₂CO₃ precipitation Li₂CO₃ from specific specific membrane electrodialysis Li⁺ from specific specific evaporation pond direct from specific specific soda ash 99.5% Li₂CO₃ battery grade from specific specific LiOH monohydrate from specific specific NaOH conversion from specific specific Li membrane electrolysis 99.9%); PYROMETALLURGY PATENTS: UMICORE; INMETCO; GLENCORE: specific pyromet innovations (specific specific Umicore VAL'EAS: specific specific shaft furnace 1,200°C from specific specific Co-Ni-Cu alloy slag from specific specific Al Mn Li into slag from specific specific wet chemistry downstream from specific specific lithium loss in slag 10-20% from specific specific cobalt recovery >90% from specific specific Inmetco HTR: specific specific rotary hearth furnace from specific specific RCRA solid waste treatment from specific specific Co Ni Cu Fe alloy from specific specific energy recovery from organic binders from specific specific plasma furnace: specific specific 5,000°C plasma torch from specific specific inert atmosphere from specific specific NF3 electrolyte decomposition); DIRECT RECYCLING PATENTS: ARGONNE; BATTERY RESOURCES; NIO; FARASIS: specific direct recycling innovations (specific specific cathode relithiation: specific specific LiOH hydrothermal 80°C from specific specific eutectic salt 400°C Li₂SO₄-K₂SO₄ from specific specific Li stoichiometry restoration from specific specific NMC 111 622 811 relithiation from specific specific crystal structure restored XRD from specific specific capacity recovery 95%+ from specific specific direct recycling flow: specific specific discharge → disassembly → cathode separation → relithiation → resynthesis from specific specific Argonne ReCell Center from specific specific cathode-to-cathode 5% COGS vs. 30% conventional from specific specific LFP direct: specific specific Nexeon LFP reactivation from specific specific calcination 700°C N₂ from specific specific capacity 160 mAh/g restored).

Automated battery pack disassembly robotic and vision-guided dismantling innovations; safe deep discharge and thermal management pre-treatment innovations; and second-life energy storage repurposing BMS reconfiguration innovations represent additional EV battery recycling patent domains: DISASSEMBLY PATENTS: VOLKSWAGEN; BMW; TESLA; NISSAN: specific disassembly innovations (specific specific EV pack disassembly: specific specific Volkswagen Salzgitter plant from specific specific robotic cell screwdrivers from specific specific AI vision screw location from specific specific module-level teardown from specific specific BMW i3 cobolt-free from specific specific deep discharge: specific specific resistive discharge to <0 V from specific specific salt water immersion saline from specific specific forced short circuit from specific specific thermal abuse prevention from specific specific 120°C thermal runaway margin from specific specific module sorting: specific specific OCV open circuit voltage from specific specific SoH state of health estimation from specific specific EIS electrochemical impedance from specific specific X-ray CT scanning from specific specific NMC 811 vs. LFP sorting from specific specific Tesla pack: specific specific 4680 structural tabless from specific specific cell-to-pack CTP from specific specific glued structural cells from specific specific solvent delamination NMP from specific specific PVDF binder dissolution from specific specific NMP recovery 99.5% distillation from specific specific electrolyte: specific specific LiPF₆ EC DMC DEC from specific specific thermal evaporation 50°C from specific specific LiF HF scavenger from specific specific fluorite CaF₂ precipitation from specific specific supercritical CO₂ extraction); SECOND-LIFE PATENTS: NISSAN; BMW; VOLKSWAGEN; RELECTRIFY: specific second-life innovations (specific specific SoH assessment: specific specific 80% capacity threshold for EV from specific specific NEDC WLTP capacity test from specific specific pulse characterization 30 s from specific specific cell-level SoH map from specific specific second-life BESS: specific specific 80-70% SoH stationary from specific specific Nissan Leaf pack 24 kWh from specific specific BMW i3 33 kWh module from specific specific Volkswagen e-Golf from specific specific BMS reconfiguration: specific specific cell balancing new setpoints from specific specific C-rate derate 0.5C second life from specific specific temperature derate 10°C from specific specific Relectrify per-cell BMS bypass from specific specific safety certification: specific specific UL 9540 ESS from specific specific IEC 62933 second life from specific specific UL 1974 repurposing eval from specific specific 10-year second-life warranty); MATERIAL FLOW PATENTS: EPA; DOE; ABTC: specific material flow innovations (specific specific closed-loop cathode: specific specific Redwood Materials cathode pCAM from specific specific cathode active material CAM from specific specific pCAM → CAM at partner plant from specific specific Li recovered → LiOH → pCAM from specific specific closed-loop same chemistry from specific specific traceability: specific specific battery passport EU 2027 from specific specific QR blockchain lot traceability from specific specific Circulor supply chain from specific specific GHG footprint per kg Co Ni from specific specific 62% CO₂ reduction vs. virgin mining).

EV battery recycling startup IP strategy must navigate Redwood Materials hydrometallurgy and closed-loop cathode resynthesis patents (200+), Li-Cycle Spoke-Hub spoke mechanical and hub hydromet patents (200+), Umicore VAL'EAS pyrometallurgy and wet chemistry patents (300+), Argonne ReCell direct recycling relithiation patents (100+), and Volkswagen/BMW automated disassembly patents (200+); understand that Redwood Materials holds the most integrated hydromet-to-cathode closed-loop IP and Li-Cycle holds the Spoke-Hub distributed processing architecture IP; identify whitespace in novel direct recycling for high-Ni NMC 811 cathode (relithiation without structural degradation), novel electrolyte recovery supercritical CO₂ extraction process, novel automated disassembly using computer vision for heterogeneous pack formats, and novel lithium extraction from slag using ion exchange membrane — while understanding that the global EV battery recycling market will exceed $35B by 2030 driven by EU Battery Regulation 2027 mandates (70% Co Ni recycled content) and US IRA critical minerals tax credits: EV BATTERY RECYCLING STARTUP IP STRATEGY: UNDERSTAND THE EV BATTERY RECYCLING PATENT LANDSCAPE — REDWOOD HYDROMET AND LI-CYCLE SPOKE-HUB HOLD BROAD INTEGRATED RECYCLING ARCHITECTURE IP: Redwood closed-loop hydromet-to-cathode and Li-Cycle distributed spoke aggregation + centralized hub processing patents cover the two dominant recycling architectures — new entrants need novel process chemistry (ionic liquid leaching, electrochemical dissolution, plasma hydromet), novel direct recycling for different cathode chemistries, or novel electrolyte recovery innovations; NOVEL DIRECT RECYCLING FOR NMC 811 AND NOVEL ELECTROLYTE RECOVERY ARE HIGHEST-VALUE LEAST-CONSOLIDATED IP: After Argonne ReCell NMC 111 relithiation and Battery Resources LFP reactivation, novel eutectic salt 400°C relithiation for high-Ni NMC 811 without irreversible ordering, and novel supercritical CO₂ or ionic liquid electrolyte extraction (avoiding HF liberation from LiPF₆) represent less consolidated patent territory; EU BATTERY REGULATION 2027 CREATES COMPLIANCE-DRIVEN DEMAND FOR NOVEL BATTERY PASSPORT AND TRACEABLE RECYCLING PROCESSES: EU Battery Regulation requires digital battery passport, 70% Co and Ni recycled content by 2030, and 80% Li recycled content by 2035 — novel blockchain-anchored lot-level traceability, novel electrochemical fingerprinting for used battery origin verification, and novel GHG lifecycle analysis integration represent patentable commercial innovations; WHEN TO PATENT IN EV BATTERY RECYCLING: NOVEL PROCESS WITH MEASURED RECOVERY YIELD AND PURITY: specific novel battery recycling process (specific specific chemistry type + specific specific Li Co Ni Mn recovery % + specific specific product purity % + specific specific energy consumption kWh/tonne + specific specific COGS $/kg Li) vs. specific Redwood hydromet 95% Co Ni Mn Li yield 99.5% sulfate or specific Li-Cycle Hub 95% recovery 20 materials or specific direct recycling 95% capacity restoration baseline — measured recovery %, product purity, energy intensity kWh/tonne, and COGS $/kg vs. Redwood or Li-Cycle baseline is the critical EV battery recycling IP metric; KEY FTO CHECKLIST: Redwood H₂SO₄ 5% pH 1.5 H₂O₂ SX Co sulfate 99.5% Ni 99.5% Li₂CO₃ 99.5% Cu foil 98% 95% yield 100 GWh/yr; Li-Cycle submerged shredding <0V 95% black mass Spoke-Hub Rochester hydromet 20+ materials; Umicore VAL'EAS 1,200°C shaft furnace Co-Ni alloy wet chemistry; Argonne ReCell LiOH hydrothermal relithiation NMC XRD capacity 95%+ direct; BMW Volkswagen robotic AI screw vision OCV SoH EIS CT; Nissan 80% SoH second-life UL 9540 IEC 62933 UL 1974; EU Battery Regulation 2027 passport 70% Co 80% Li 2035; LiPF₆ EC DMC NMP 99.5% recovery supercritical CO₂.