Pilot responds to European legislative initiatives aimed at increasing material recycling rates by maximizing the recovery of cell components, specifically high-purity graphite and critical raw materials (CRMs) like lithium, cobalt, and nickel. By ensuring these materials meet battery-grade specifications for reuse, the project enhances sustainability within the EU battery value chain and promotes independence from Asian supply sources. Additionally, it recognizes the growing importance of plastics, including fluorinated binders, by strengthening European leadership in material recovery that will provide sustainable solutions for essential components in the new mobility landscape.

Validate the efficiency of extraction, recovering strategies and metal reprocessing to produce secondary raw materials from the recycled batteries for their re-use in new batteries or other high added value applications. In case of CRMs, AUTOMAT will work on different switchable and interconnectable metallurgical approaches, all characterized by energy/chemicals/water-saving systems, with regard of the “zeroing” of the production wastes, as well as the general environmental impacts. For graphite recycling froth flotation process will be used. The Li salt separation and the isolation of fluorinated compounds will be assessed by advanced extraction methods (e.g., scCO2 process). To obtain high-performing recycled plastics an integrated system will be develop, including collection, separation and characterization of plastics fraction and related material streams.

• Electrolyte: 80% of Li salt (LiPF6) recovery and 60% of carbonate solvents recovery compared to initial amount (cell assembly). Cost of recycled electrolyte: 70% of the virgin electrolyte;
  
  
• PVDF and other plastics: identify promising recycling routes;
  
  
• CRMs from the cathode: Recycling Efficiency > 75%. Materials Recovery Target: Li > 95%; Transition metals > 85%.
  Process Yield > 95% materials/components/elements recovered for industry. Purity of the material/components: Li-based materials (>95%). Other Targeted metals: > accepted grade by industrial applications;
  
  
• Graphite from the anode: Purity of the recycled graphite up to 96 %.