Recycling Lithium-Ion Battery Parts Using a Gentle Liquid Method
This patent describes a method for taking apart used lithium-ion batteries by soaking their electrodes in a special liquid to separate valuable materials like active electrode powders from metal collectors, making them easier to reuse.
Original patent title: “Method of recycling materials from lithium-ion batteries”
This patent describes a method for taking apart used lithium-ion batteries by soaking their electrodes in a special liquid to separate valuable materials like active electrode powders from metal collectors, making them easier to reuse. Granted to UT Battelle in 2025 with 19 claims, and it is expected to expire in 2042.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The patent describes a method for recycling lithium-ion battery materials. It starts by taking a "composite electrode," which includes both anode and cathode parts, and mixing it with an "aqueous buffer solution" (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1). This solution helps to "delaminate" (separate) the active electrode material from its metal "current collector." Specifically, the anode active material is separated from its current collector first, then removed (Claim 1). Afterward, a "surfactant" is added to the mixture, and the cathode active material is separated from its current collector (Claim 1). Both the separated active materials and the metal current collectors are then recovered, potentially by sieving or filtration (Claim 8). For example, if you have a used electric vehicle battery, this method would let you get back the graphite from the anode and the lithium cobalt oxide from the cathode, along with the copper and aluminum foils.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover recycling methods that use strong acids or high temperatures to separate battery materials, as it specifies an aqueous buffer solution and mild temperatures (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1, 2, 5).
- Does not cover methods where anode and cathode materials are delaminated simultaneously, as ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1 specifies they are "delaminated sequentially in that order."
- Does not cover recycling processes that do not involve an aqueous buffer solution to initiate the delamination (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
- Does not cover methods that do not separate the electrode material from the current collector; the core step is "delaminating the electrode material from the current collector" (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The noveltynoveltyThe requirement that an invention be different from anything publicly known before its priority date.Read more → lies in the sequential, gentle delamination process using an aqueous buffer solution, optionally with a surfactant, at relatively mild temperatures. This allows for the separation of active materials from current collectors without destroying them, making recovery easier and potentially more cost-effective than harsher methods.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Recycling facilities for electric vehicle batteries
Recycling plants for smartphone and laptop batteries
Pilot programs for urban mining of electronic waste
Why it matters
The bigger picture
Lithium-ion batteries power most modern portable electronics and electric vehicles. As more batteries are produced, there's a growing need to efficiently recycle their valuable and sometimes toxic components like lithium, cobalt, and nickel. This patent offers a potentially less energy-intensive and safer way to recover these materials compared to traditional methods that often involve high temperatures or strong, corrosive chemicals. This could reduce environmental impact and improve the supply chain for critical battery materials.
Filed
March 29, 2022
Granted
June 10, 2025
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
UT Battelle LLC, as the assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →, is likely involved in further research and development of this technology. Major players in lithium-ion battery recycling, such as Redwood Materials, Li-Cycle, and Umicore, continuously develop and refine methods to recover valuable materials. Research institutions and universities also contribute significantly to advancing battery recycling processes.
Market impact
This type of recycling technology aims to reduce reliance on newly mined raw materials, stabilize supply chains for critical battery components, and decrease the environmental footprint of battery production. If widely adopted, such methods could make battery recycling more economically viable and scalable, supporting the growth of electric vehicles and renewable energy storage. It could also help meet increasing demand for recycled content in new battery manufacturing.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The patent describes a method for recycling lithium-ion battery materials. It starts by taking a "composite electrode," which includes both anode and cathode parts, and mixing it with an "aqueous buffer solution" (Claim 1). This solution helps to "delaminate" (separate) the active electrode material from its metal "current collector." Specifically, the anode active material is separated from its current collector first, then removed (Claim 1). Afterward, a "surfactant" is added to the mixture, and the cathode active material is separated from its current collector (Claim 1). Both the separated active materials and the metal current collectors are then recovered, potentially by sieving or filtration (Claim 8). For example, if you have a used electric vehicle battery, this method would let you get back the graphite from the anode and the lithium cobalt oxide from the cathode, along with the copper and aluminum foils.
The clever bit
The novelty lies in the sequential, gentle delamination process using an aqueous buffer solution, optionally with a surfactant, at relatively mild temperatures. This allows for the separation of active materials from current collectors without destroying them, making recovery easier and potentially more cost-effective than harsher methods.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover recycling methods that use strong acids or high temperatures to separate battery materials, as it specifies an aqueous buffer solution and mild temperatures (Claim 1, 2, 5).
- Does not cover methods where anode and cathode materials are delaminated simultaneously, as Claim 1 specifies they are "delaminated sequentially in that order."
- Does not cover recycling processes that do not involve an aqueous buffer solution to initiate the delamination (Claim 1).
- Does not cover methods that do not separate the electrode material from the current collector; the core step is "delaminating the electrode material from the current collector" (Claim 1).
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
Patent enters public domain
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
0/40
No citations yet
Claim breadth
13/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
20/20
Granted within 5 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$27K – $87K
Midpoint $55K · 15.5 yr remaining · industry ×1.4
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
The original legal language
Original claims
19 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
BAI, Y., & Belharouak, I. (2025). Recycling Lithium-Ion Battery Parts Using a Gentle Liquid Method (U.S. Patent No. 12,327,847). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12327847/method-of-recycling-materials-from-lithium-ion-batteries
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Recycling Lithium-Ion Battery Parts Using a Gentle Liquid Method cover?
This patent describes a method for taking apart used lithium-ion batteries by soaking their electrodes in a special liquid to separate valuable materials like active electrode powders from metal collectors, making them easier to reuse.
Who owns patent US 12327847?
UT Battelle owns this patent, granted in 2025.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on March 29, 2042, when the invention enters the public domain.
What problem does this patent solve?
Lithium-ion batteries power most modern portable electronics and electric vehicles. As more batteries are produced, there's a growing need to efficiently recycle their valuable and sometimes toxic components like lithium, cobalt, and nickel. This patent offers a potentially less energy-intensive and safer way to recover these materials compared to traditional methods that often involve high temperatures or strong, corrosive chemicals. This could reduce environmental impact and improve the supply chain for critical battery materials.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover recycling methods that use strong acids or high temperatures to separate battery materials, as it specifies an aqueous buffer solution and mild temperatures (Claim 1, 2, 5).
Patent monitoring