RESPECT

The project:

The RESPECT project is EU-funded project under Horizon Europe Research and Innovation program and the BATT4EU Partnership, which aims to contribute to the European battery eco-system and contribute to the development of the battery supply chain in Europe.

RESPECT’s main objective is to develop a global flexible, adaptative and safe Li-ion battery recycling process at module level encompassing pre-treatment steps (e.g.: safe opening, novel modules deactivation, technologies for active materials access…), full hydrometallurgy and direct recycling using existing and new process units based on innovative and green developments capable of achieving >90% wt recovery rate/efficiency.

The project considers the variability of Li-ion batteries chemistries (NMC, LFP, NCA, LMO), states (aged, damaged, EoL, scraps) and applications (EV, Energy Storage System [SSE]). The holistic approach covers all Li-ion recycling value chain from logistics, sorting and classification of the feedstock to the design and integration of new recycling unit processes that aim at recovering the highest amount of resources present within Li-ion batteries. It proposes a logical chain of disruptive, flexible, sustainable and versatile recycling processes considering safety aspects for opening and deactivation and addressing full hydrometallurgy or direct recycling, depending on the targeted LiBs to be treated, supporting the development of the next generation of batteries materials.

CIDETEC’S role in the project:

CIDETEC will manufacture Li-ion pouch cells and will perform cells cycling with baseline materials and with recycled materials. Results will enable the comparison of electrochemical behavior before and after recycling steps that will further lead to a conclusion of the efficiency of each recycling route. To have a relevant proof of concept, 25 pouch cells of 1Ah (6×10 cm²) will be manufactured from each recycling route.