Worcester Polytechnic Institute Develops New Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling Method

According to foreign media reports, researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), led by Professor Yan Wang from the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, have developed a new scalable lithium-ion battery recycling method that is efficient and environmentally friendly. This represents an important step forward in sustainable energy technology. The team's research, titled 'Upcycling Mixed Spent Ni-Lean Cathodes into Ni-Rich Polycrystalline Cathodes,' was published in the journal Energy Storage Materials. The paper details an innovative hydrometallurgical upcycling recycling method that offers both environmental and performance advantages over traditional recycling methods. The process specifically targets spent mixed nickel-lean cathode materials commonly found in used lithium-ion batteries.