Metastable Materials is committed to providing environmentally friendly metal extraction technology for Li-ion batteries. Their incredible engineers and technicians are working tirelessly to achieve this vision. From rethinking the entire recycling process to setting up sustainable operations, they are trying to reduce the life-cycle cost of lithium-ion batteries to help accelerate EV adoption.
In a recent interview, Abdullah interacted with Shubham Vishwakarma, Founder, Metastable Materials in which he discuss about the hutdles in recycling EV batteries, comaprision of modern recycling method with the traditional recycling method, life cycle of EV Battery, technical breakthrough.
Could you kindly tell us a little bit about your company?
We are experts in lithium-ion battery recycling and began our journey a few years ago with the belief that traditional EV recycling methods resemble waste management more than sustainable practice. Our vision was to reshape the industry using the principles of circular economy and urban mining. Essentially, we apply the methodologies traditionally used in the mining industry to recycling—treating used batteries as though they were being mined from the ground. This approach allows us to extract valuable metals from the batteries, preventing them from being discarded back into the earth. In essence, every city becomes a mine for us, ensuring that these batteries are sustainably processed and repurposed.
What do you believe were the major hurdles in recycling electric vehicle batteries?
The job of a recycler is fairly straightforward. You have materials that need to be extracted and processed to ensure they don’t end up in a landfill. The first task involves the safe handling and reverse logistics of these materials. For example, when you have a Coke bottle at home, you need to ensure it reaches a processing facility. This requires a distributed network of materials to be consolidated into a few factories—this is essentially reverse logistics.
Next comes the challenge of processing, an area where we currently excel. Although there is much to discuss, I will condense it into a few key points. At one end, you have a very complex product, and at the other, you aim to create another equally complex product. In this case, you want to produce new batteries from old ones, which is a challenging task. It’s similar to trying to make new Coca-Cola from old Coca-Cola—it’s difficult. What we propose is to treat these batteries as ores of lithium, cobalt, and nickel. We extract these metals and reintroduce them into individual supply chains. We treat these batteries as a whole and use technologies and processes to handle the extraction. This is the second part of the process.
In essence, what we are doing is straightforward. We focus on yield, purity, process cost, and overcoming the challenges recyclers face. What we are producing are raw materials for the world—lithium in a commodity form, ready for use in any application, including manufacturing lithium-ion batteries.
How do the current and modern recycling methods vary from those that were used traditionally?
Traditional battery recycling methods can essentially be broken down into two approaches: hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical. The term “hydro” refers to water, and “pyro” to fire. In the pyrometallurgical process, batteries are crushed and pre-processed into what is called “black mass.” This material is then placed into a giant furnace where heavy metals, such as copper and cobalt, melt and sink to the bottom, while lighter metals float to the top. The lighter metals are discarded, leaving the heavier metals for recovery. Ironically, lithium is not typically recycled using this method, even though the batteries are lithium-based, which illustrates why this process is unpopular.
The second method, hydrometallurgical, is more accessible—anyone with a basic knowledge of chemistry can understand it. Batteries are crushed and processed into black mass, which is then dissolved in a strong acid or a combination of acids until everything is converted into a solution. Specialized chemicals are then introduced to selectively bind with specific atoms, like lithium or cobalt, to extract them. This method essentially involves battling against impurities, making it easier to design but very difficult to industrialize. Most batteries today are recycled using this method.
What we propose is different. Instead of these two methods, we utilize traditional mineral beneficiation technologies. This process, though complex, is highly effective. The technical term for what we do is “mineral beneficiation,” but it typically requires a four-year engineering degree to fully grasp. Essentially, this process involves breaking down and separating materials to extract desired elements, similar to how entire mountains are processed to extract small percentages of valuable materials. We use techniques such as density separation, size classification, solubility, and magnetic separation. After processing 500 tons of material, we might have just a few tons of iron, which can be extracted using magnetic separation. We then selectively choose sizes, increasing the concentration of desired materials from 1% to 20%, and eventually to 60%.
This approach relies on mineral beneficiation processes that are difficult to design and don’t work on a small scale; they require industrial-scale operations for testing and development. These processes also come with unique challenges related to contamination and industrial scaling. However, we have been fortunate and bold enough to pursue this method. We are now at the phase where most of the scientific and engineering aspects have been resolved, and we are moving toward the commercial deployment of the technology. It’s not just one technology—it’s a comprehensive solution to the problem of better battery recycling. By relying on the physical properties of materials rather than traditional chemical processes, we significantly reduce the environmental footprint of our operations, as we do not rely on chemical processing.
How does the life cycle of an EV battery affect the efficiency and practicality of recycling?
It largely doesn’t. If a lithium atom is in a battery, it’s not going anywhere. It might change form, it might change crystal structure, or it might change microstructure, but it will remain there.
What technical breakthroughs do you believe are being made to increase the effectiveness of battery recycling procedures and products?
In hydrometallurgy, there are numerous factors and chemicals involved, which means there are always efficiencies to be found. In some areas, there is an abundance of sulphuric acid, so it’s preferred in those regions, especially when working with copper extraction mines in traditional industrial zones. On the other hand, certain industrial areas have access to ample energy supplies, while others might have a plentiful supply of citric acid due to local natural resources.
Broadly speaking, supply chain optimization can significantly enhance the efficiency of recycling processes, leading to overall improvements. In the last 5-10 years, the volume of materials needing to be recycled has grown drastically. As a result, this is likely the first time these processes are being tested on an industrial scale. Consequently, there are numerous growing pains, which, over time, are driving increased efficiency and improvements in these processes.
It’s akin to using the same recipe with different flavors or combining ingredients differently—it’s still hydrometallurgy at its core, and its fundamental science isn’t going to change.
What are the economic incentives for companies to invest in EV recycling ?
The government has been highly supportive of recycling, both from an environmental standpoint and a circular economy perspective. Environmentally, there is a strong need to prevent batteries from ending up in landfills. Materials like cobalt, nickel, and lithium, which are essential for battery production, must be recycled to avoid depletion. These metals are not as abundant or easily accessible as more common metals like iron, copper, or aluminum. In fact, most of the world’s cobalt supply comes from just one or two nations, with 80% of it originating from Hong Kong. This creates an urgent need for a circular economy to ensure resource efficiency and strengthen national security.
From a policy standpoint, the government has shown significant support for recycling efforts, including through various incentives. However, everyone is still trying to determine the best approach to implement these incentives effectively. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is one promising idea, and its implementation is currently being driven largely by the industry.
As a technology professional, I am more focused on exploring the government’s incentives in this space. However, individuals with a policy background would be better suited to provide a broader, strategic view of these developments, as they can offer a more comprehensive, “helicopter” perspective. On the other hand, our expertise lies in having “boots on the ground” and understanding the practicalities of implementation.
How can public awareness and education about ev battery recycling be improved?
I have a strong view on these matters. Good industrial engineers shouldn’t need to engage in excessive PR. For example, if you have an old copper pan, a cast iron pan, or old copper wires, you know someone will come and collect them. You don’t worry about the circular economy for these metals. On the other hand, when it comes to e-waste, bottles, or plastic bags, people are more concerned.
In my opinion, recycling processes and the entire recycling ecosystem should be efficient enough that the end consumer doesn’t need to worry about them. If a lot of public awareness and PR is required, it indicates that something else needs fixing. I firmly believe that industrialists should focus on creating better recycling systems so that the public doesn’t have to bear the burden. It’s our responsibility to make these systems efficient enough that consumers don’t need to think much about them.
From an EV battery recycling perspective, what we and others are thinking is that OEMs should take on the responsibility. For instance, when you go to a service station to replace your batteries, the service center should take back the old batteries. How the financials, supply chain, and regulations will be structured, and how consumers will be incentivized—there are many ideas and experiments in progress globally. However, like any industry undergoing transformation, it will take time for these practices to solidify. In a nutshell, the more work the consumer has to do, the more work we, as industrialists, need to do. If we need to ask consumers to do a lot for us, it signals that there’s still a lot of work to be done on our end.
What is the role of innovation in overcoming the current limitations of ev battery recycling?
All innovations are welcome. Technological advancements, no matter where they occur—whether in logistics, battery management systems (BMS), second life applications, or recycling—are always beneficial. Wherever improvements are made, they are always for the better. Pinpointing a single innovation that will be the most effective is difficult; these advancements need to be tested. There must be a series of innovations, and some of them will scale to the industrial level. Innovation is always welcome.