Battery Recycling

Recovery of Valuable Metals

Hydrogen peroxide and persulfates enable efficient and selective recovery of valuable metals in lithium‑ion battery recycling. Their controlled oxidative strength supports cleaner leaching processes and reduces reliance on harsher chemicals. As demand for critical raw materials grows, these oxidants help improve yield, purity, and process reliability. They are essential components for scalable, low‑emission hydrometallurgical recycling and a more circular battery value chain.

Discover other recycling processes using hydrogen peroxide

Further Information

Evonik solutions for battery electric vehicles brochure

Why It Is Important to Recycle Lithium-Ion Batteries?

Lithium-ion batteries (LiBs) are widely used as a power source in, for example, electric vehicles, computers, and smart portable devices.

As more and more lithium-ion batteries reach the end of their useful life, concerns are being raised about the economic and environmental implications. LiBs contain several different rare earth minerals such as lithium, cobalt and nickel. Recycling the batteries is thus critical to recovering and reusing these precious and rare metals.

The global lithium battery recycling market is expected to grow rapidly in the next few years.

Advanced LiB Recycling Technology with Hydrogen Peroxide

Overview of the LiB Recycling Process Flow

Among the various LiB recycling technologies, one widely implemented process is “wet hydrometallurgy”. In this process, hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is used as a reducing agent in the leaching step to:

Oxidize or reduce the metals such as Co, Mn, Ni, Li, and Fe to aide in their recovery from the LiB substrates
Increase leaching efficiency and shorten leaching time

LiB Recycling Technology with Ammonium and Sodium Persulfates

Overview of the LFP batteries process flow

Persulfate is another peroxygen produced by Evonik. While hydrogen peroxide can either oxidize or reduce corresponding metals, persulfate offers a purely oxidative pathway. This pathway is used, for example, as a highly efficient method for recovering lithium from lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, as shown in the process flow scheme below.

Persulfate is available in several salts that are used in LiB recycling, including ammonium persulfate and sodium persulfate. In the persulfate process, lithium is quickly and efficiently leached from the cathode powder.

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Recovery of Li, Co, Ni, Mn in the leaching processes of LiB recycling

Key Characteristics:

Hydrogen peroxide decomposes to form oxygen and water via both oxidative and reductive processes, allowing for minimal end products while oxidizing certain metals or reducing others when needed.

Learn more about hydrogen peroxide

Wastewater treatment to breakdown organics to reduce COD

Key Characteristics:

Hydrogen peroxide is an effective solution for wastewater treatment: It can be used alone or in combination with advanced oxidation process (AOP) technologies to break down organic chains to reduce the chemical oxygen demand of wastewater.

Learn more about hydrogen peroxide

Leaching of oxidizable metals such as lithium
Less sensitive to reaction with transition metals such as iron
Used in recycling of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries

Key Characteristics:

With the oxidative pathway only, persulfate is highly efficient in recovering metals that are liberated oxidatively, such as lithium.

Learn more about ammonium and sodium persulfate

Sustainability Aspects of LIB Recycling with Peroxides

Since hydrogen peroxide only breaks down into only water and oxygen, it leaves minimal trace in the environment. Hydrogen peroxide is also an effective and sustainable solution for wastewater treatment: It can be used alone or in combination with advanced oxidation processes (AOP) to break down organic chains and reduce the chemical oxygen demand of wastewater.

The persulfate process leaches lithium quickly and efficiently. The lithium is recovered into a reusable substance via several methods, including either high-quality lithium hydroxide (LiOH) following electrolysis of the Li₂SO₄ solution, or as a high purity lithium carbonate with the addition of carbonate to the lithium sulfate solution.

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