Ascend Elements partner with Orbia to commercialise recycled graphite

Ascend Elements and the chemical company Orbia's division for flourinated solutions, Koura, have announced that the comopanies will explore ways to commercialise to recycled graphite from end-of life batteries and production scrap. The two companies will also discuss plans to build an advanced graphite recycling facility in the United States.

Ascend Elements unveiled a solution for recycled graphite in February 2022 achieving 99.9% pure graphite which, opposite to most of the recovered graphite today, had battery grade and could be reused in batteries. So far there has however not been any commercialisation of the process and there are few processes worldwide.

Almost all natural graphite used in batteries is today sourced in China. Recycling rates are low althoug a lot of research has been done both in China and in the rest of the world. The Australian graphite producer Ecograf partnered in 2020 with South Korean recycler Sungeel Hitech to develop a pilot plant for recycled graphite and has since then reached purity rates of 99.98% but neither Ecograf nor Sungeel has so far commercialised the process.

Just like Ascend Elements is pointing out in its announcement there is a big opportunity as graphite processed in the United States is compliant with Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) requirements for electric vehicles to qualify for the 30D tax credit. Graphite represents about 18% of a lithium-ion battery and would thereby contribute to a large share of the recycled materials by mass.