Objective
The rapid growth of electric vehicles and stationary energy storage is driving unprecedented demand for lithium-ion battery (LIB) materials, placing increasing pressure on geographically constrained supplies of critical raw materials such as lithium, nickel, graphene, and cobalt. The global LIB recycling market is projected to grow rapidly as electrification accelerates, yet current recycling technologies remain energy-intensive, slow, and dependent on complex chemical treatments that limit recovery efficiency and economic viability. In many regions, including Europe, insufficient downstream processing capacity further constrains the ability to recover and purify battery metals domestically, reinforcing reliance on overseas processing and increasing supply-chain vulnerability. Thus, there is an urgent need for low-cost, scalable, and energy-efficient recycling technologies capable of recovering critical metals at high yield.
Research from the PI’s group has demonstrated a transformative breakthrough: a redox-mediated hydrometallurgical process that rapidly dissolves metal-rich powder from spent batteries (black mass) at room temperature without sacrificial reagents, enabling fast extraction of valuable metals and compatibility with continuous-flow processing. Laboratory studies and independent evaluation have confirmed rapid kinetics, the potential for recyclable reagents and integration into existing recycling infrastructure, indicating a credible pathway toward cost-competitive domestic recycling of LIBs.
This project aims to take the essential technical and commercial steps required to bring this innovation toward market readiness: scaling the process from gram-scale to pilot-relevant operation, developing robust methods to isolate and purify metal salts, demonstrating a continuous process, conducting techno-economic and market validation, and engage with industrial partners across the recycling value chain to establish a clear route to commercial deployment.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2026-POC
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
CB2 1TN CAMBRIDGE
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.