Your next phone or EV could run on a recycled battery that performs nearly as well as a new one. Cornell University researchers have developed a new recycling technique that restores spent lithium-ion cells to up to 95% of their original capacity, while cutting recycling costs by 56%.
A bath instead of a shredder
Current battery recycling techniques are largely destructive. Spent cells are either smelted at extreme temperatures or crushed into a powder and processed with harsh acids to extract usable materials. The recovered components then have to be rebuilt from scratch before they can go into a new battery.
Cornell’s method, as reported by TechXplore, skips all of that. The direct electrode-to-electrode regeneration (DEER) method involves removing a spent battery’s electrodes and soaking them in an electrochemical solution that dissolves the insulating layer responsible for capacity loss. The cleaned electrodes can then go straight into a new cell without being broken down first.
Why it matters beyond the lab
The US relies heavily on imported nickel and cobalt to manufacture lithium-ion batteries, and domestic recycling infrastructure is limited. A process that shortens the recycling loop and keeps more material in circulation addresses both cost and supply chain vulnerabilities.
The Cornell team also found that DEER reduces harmful air pollutants and water use compared to conventional recycling methods. The researchers currently target batteries at 70 to 80% of their original capacity, which is the typical condition of an EV battery pack at the end of life. Next steps include testing the process on industrial-scale batteries and tackling other forms of degradation, such as lithium loss.
If the technique scales, it could mean cheaper batteries, less mining pressure, and fewer spent cells ending up in landfills.