China's FJH - Recycling Lithium from batteries

[Sparty]

Chinese researchers have made a significant breakthrough in lithium-ion battery recycling, but it?s important to clarify that the Flash Joule Heating (FJH) method was originally developed by Rice University in the United States, not China. However, China is actively researching and adapting advanced recycling technologies, including FJH, to address the growing need for sustainable battery material recovery.

What is Flash Joule Heating (FJH)?
Flash Joule Heating is a process that uses rapid, high-voltage electrical pulses to heat battery waste (often called ?black mass?) to extremely high temperatures over 2,100C in a matter of seconds. This intense, brief heating breaks down the battery materials, making it possible to efficiently extract valuable metals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel.

The process is extremely fast, taking only seconds to complete.

It avoids the use of strong acids or toxic chemicals, reducing environmental impact.

FJH can recover up to 98% of lithium and other critical metals from spent batteries.

It uses about 65% less energy than traditional recycling methods, making it more cost-effective and environmentally friendly.

For more details on the FJH process, see:

www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-50324-x

www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adh5131

http://www.batterypoweronline.com/ne...ed-in-a-flash/

China's Role and Recent Developments
While the original FJH technology is American, Chinese researchers and companies are rapidly developing and adapting similar high-efficiency recycling methods. China leads the world in battery production and recycling infrastructure, and is keen to implement advanced processes like FJH to:

Secure domestic supplies of lithium and other critical minerals.

Reduce reliance on environmentally damaging mining.

Support the circular economy for electric vehicles and renewable energy storage.

Recent Chinese research has focused on both FJH and alternative methods, such as glycine-based leaching, which also achieves near-total lithium recovery without harsh chemicals. These innovations are being tested for scalability and integration into China's massive battery recycling industry.

For more on China's battery recycling advances, see:

http://www.ioplus.nl/en/posts/batter...thium-recovery

http://phys.org/news/2025-03-amino-a...ceType=desktop

http://discoveryalert.com.au/news-ar...kthrough-2025/

Environmental and Economic Impact
The adoption of FJH and similar methods in China could have several major benefits:

Environmental: Dramatically reduces hazardous waste and emissions compared to acid-based recycling.

Economic: Lowers energy and operational costs, making large-scale recycling more viable.

Strategic: Strengthens China's control over critical battery materials, supporting its electric vehicle and renewable energy sectors.

For further reading on the environmental and economic implications, visit:

http://www.oscorpenergy.com.au/post/...tery-recycling

http://batteriesnews.com/battery-rec...hium-recovery/

Challenges and Next Steps
Scaling Up: Laboratory successes must be translated into industrial-scale operations.

Policy and Infrastructure: Continued government support and investment are needed to build out advanced recycling facilities.

Global Collaboration: Combining the strengths of FJH and other innovative methods could further improve efficiency and sustainability.

Summary
Flash Joule Heating is a transformative technology for battery recycling, offering rapid, high-yield recovery of lithium and other metals with minimal environmental impact. While pioneered in the U.S., China is actively pursuing and adapting such methods to meet its massive battery recycling needs. The successful industrialization of FJH and related processes could reshape the global supply chain for critical battery materials.

For more in-depth information, consult:

www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-50324-x

www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adh5131

http://www.batterypoweronline.com/ne...ed-in-a-flash/

http://ioplus.nl/en/posts/battery-re...thium-recovery

http://phys.org/news/2025-03-amino-a...ceType=desktop

http://discoveryalert.com.au/news-ar...kthrough-2025/

http://www.oscorpenergy.com.au/post/...tery-recycling

http://batteriesnews.com/battery-rec...hium-recovery/

[Sparty]

China's new glycine technology for lithium-ion battery recycling is a major scientific breakthrough, offering a fast, efficient, and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional methods. Here's an overview of how it works, its advantages, and its significance:

What is the Glycine Battery Recycling Technology?

This innovative process, developed by researchers at Central South University, Guizhou Normal University, and the National Engineering Research Center of Advanced Energy Storage Materials, uses glycine, an amino acid, as the main agent to extract valuable metals from spent lithium-ion batteries. The process is called "neutral leaching" because it operates in a pH-neutral solution, avoiding the use of harsh acids or bases that are common in conventional recycling.

How Does It Work?

The battery waste (typically cathode material containing lithium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese) is mixed with a solution containing glycine, iron(II) salt, and sodium oxalate.

This mixture creates a "battery effect" at the microscopic level: iron(II) oxalate forms a shell around the battery particles, acting as an anode, while the core acts as a cathode. This setup enables efficient electron transfer and triggers a solid-solid reduction reaction.

The reaction breaks down the battery material, releasing lithium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese ions into the solution.

Glycine then binds to these metal ions, keeping them dissolved and ready for recovery.

The process is extremely fast, achieving 99.99% lithium recovery, 96.8% nickel, 92.35% cobalt, and 90.59% manganese in just 15 minutes.

Key Advantages

No Harsh Chemicals: The process is acid-free and pH-neutral, eliminating the risk of toxic byproducts and environmental contamination. This is a major improvement over traditional hydrometallurgical methods, which use strong acids and generate hazardous waste.
(See http://www.cleantechnica.com/2025/03...99-of-lithium/ and http://www.independent.co.uk/tech/ba...-b2713723.html)

Minimal Emissions: The process produces almost no harmful gases, and the leftover glycine solution can be repurposed as fertilizer, supporting a circular economy.
(See http://www.ioplus.nl/en/posts/batter...thium-recovery and http://www.miragenews.com/amino-acid...cling-1423531/)

Speed and Efficiency: The entire extraction takes just 15 minutes, much faster than conventional recycling, which can take hours or days.
(See http://www.arenaev.com/new_breakthro...-news-4534.php)

Cost-Effective: Lower energy and chemical consumption make the process more economical and scalable for industrial use.

High Recovery Rates: Nearly all lithium and other valuable metals are recovered, reducing the need for new mining and supporting battery manufacturing sustainability.

Why Is This Important?

The global surge in electric vehicles and electronics is creating a massive wave of battery waste. Efficient recycling is crucial to recover critical materials, reduce environmental impact, and ensure a stable supply chain for future battery production.

This glycine-based method addresses the environmental and economic drawbacks of current recycling technologies, making large-scale, pollution-free battery recycling feasible.

The process is already attracting attention from industry and policymakers as a model for sustainable battery management.

Further Reading and Sources

http://www.cleantechnica.com/2025/03...99-of-lithium/

http://www.ioplus.nl/en/posts/batter...thium-recovery

http://www.independent.co.uk/tech/ba...-b2713723.html

http://www.miragenews.com/amino-acid...cling-1423531/

http://www.arenaev.com/new_breakthro...-news-4534.php

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/...-99-of-lithium

This glycine technology represents a leap forward in battery recycling, combining environmental responsibility with industrial practicality.

[Sparty]

The glycine-based battery recycling method offers significant cost-saving advantages compared to traditional recycling methods, impacting various aspects of the overall cost structure. Here's how it reduces costs:

1. Lower Energy Consumption
The glycine process operates at ambient temperatures, avoiding energy-intensive steps like high-temperature smelting or acid regeneration. This cuts energy use by approximately 65% compared to conventional methods such as pyrometallurgy, which requires temperatures exceeding 1,500?C. By eliminating these demands, electricity costs are significantly reduced.

For more details, visit:
http://www.cleantechnica.com/new-bat...-99-of-lithium
http://www.ioplus.nl/en/posts/batter...thium-recovery

2. Reduced Chemical Costs
Instead of using expensive and corrosive acids like sulfuric or hydrochloric acid, the glycine-based method uses glycine, a low-cost and biodegradable amino acid. Glycine is affordable and reusable; the leftover solution can be repurposed as fertilizer, further reducing costs. Traditional methods require constant replenishment of acids and neutralizing agents, adding recurring expenses.

For more information, visit:
http://www.bestmag.co.uk/new-process...-ion-batteries
http://www.newsroom.wiley.com/amino-...able-batteries

3. Minimal Waste Management Expenses
The glycine process generates no hazardous waste, eliminating the costs associated with treating toxic byproducts like acidic wastewater or sulfur dioxide emissions. The nitrogen-rich glycine effluent can be safely used as agricultural fertilizer, turning a former waste product into a revenue stream. In contrast, traditional recycling methods generate harmful sludge and gases that require costly disposal and pollution controls.

Learn more at:
http://www.miragenews.com/amino-acid...tery-recycling
http://www.greencarreports.com/ev-ba...-99-of-lithium

4. Faster Processing Times
The glycine method recovers 99.99% of lithium and over 90% of nickel, cobalt, and manganese in just 15 minutes. Conventional leaching processes can take between 4?24 hours to complete. This rapid throughput reduces labor costs, equipment idle time, and facility overheads, enabling higher volumes at lower operational costs.

For additional insights, visit:
http://www.arenaev.com/new_breakthro...recycling-news
http://www.independent.co.uk/battery...on-environment

5. Higher Material Recovery Rates
The glycine method achieves near-total recovery rates for critical metals (e.g., 99.99% lithium compared to 50?80% in traditional methods). This maximizes the value extracted per battery and reduces reliance on expensive virgin materials sourced through mining operations.

Read more at:
http://www.batteriesnews.com/battery...thium-recovery
http://www.ioplus.nl/en/posts/batter...thium-recovery

6. Scalability Advantages
The simplicity of the glycine process?requiring no specialized high-pressure or high-temperature equipment?reduces capital investment for scaling operations. Researchers estimate a 30?40% reduction in initial setup costs compared to conventional recycling plants.

For more information on scalability benefits:
http://www.oscorpenergy.com.au/envir...tery-recycling
http://www.discoveryalert.com.au/chi...g-breakthrough

Conclusion
The glycine-based method impacts battery recycling costs by reducing energy consumption, chemical expenses, waste management costs, and processing times while increasing material recovery rates and scalability potential. These factors make it a highly cost-effective and environmentally sustainable solution for managing lithium-ion battery waste.

For further reading:
http://www.cleantechnica.com/new-bat...-99-of-lithium
http://www.ioplus.nl/en/posts/batter...thium-recovery
http://www.bestmag.co.uk/new-process...-ion-batteries

[Sparty]

FJH + Glycine is another green energy breakthrough- Cost effective for Li and graphene.

Are there many other applications of FJH being pursued/researched?

Flash Joule Heating (FJH) is being actively researched for diverse applications beyond lithium recovery and graphene production, demonstrating its versatility as a disruptive, energy-efficient technology. Here are key areas of innovation:

1. Metal Recovery from Mining Waste and Industrial Byproducts
FJH enables cost-effective extraction of critical metals from low-grade ores and industrial waste such as red mud (aluminum production waste) and coal fly ash. The process's rapid heating (up to 3,000?C in milliseconds) breaks down refractory materials, releasing trapped metals like rare earth elements (REEs) and aluminum. This reduces reliance on environmentally destructive mining and transforms waste into valuable resources.
Source: www.mtmcriticalmetals.com.au/flashjouleheating | www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-26038-9

2. E-Waste Recycling and Urban Mining
FJH recovers precious metals (gold, silver, palladium) and removes toxic heavy metals (lead, mercury, cadmium) from electronic waste. By heating e-waste to extreme temperatures, metals evaporate and are captured, achieving >80% recovery rates for Rh, Pd, and Ag. This approach is 80-500x more energy-efficient than traditional smelting and avoids hazardous chemical leaching.
Source: www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-26038-9

3. Synthesis of Advanced Materials
The flash-within-flash (FWF) Joule heating variant, developed at Rice University, synthesizes high-purity solid-state materials like molybdenum diselenide (MoSe2) and tungsten diselenide in seconds. These materials are critical for semiconductors, aerospace lubricants, and catalysts. FWF reduces energy use and emissions by >50% compared to conventional methods.
Source: http://www.technologynetworks.com/ap...cturing-389902 | http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0816173928.htm

4. Environmental Remediation
FJH detoxifies industrial waste by removing heavy metals to levels safe for agricultural use. For example, it reduces lead concentrations in treated waste to <10 ppm, meeting soil safety standards. This application addresses pollution from mining and manufacturing.
Source: www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-26038-9

5. Biomass Conversion to Graphene
FJH upcycles biomass (e.g., agricultural waste) into few-layer graphene at scale. This method avoids the high carbon footprint of traditional graphene production and supports sustainable manufacturing for applications in composites, sensors, and energy storage.
Source: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11018853

6. Battery Recycling Innovation
Beyond lithium, FJH efficiently recovers nickel, cobalt, and manganese from lithium-ion battery "black mass".
It works alongside glycine-based leaching (acid-free) to maximize metal yields while slashing energy use by 65% compared to pyrometallurgy.
Source: http://www.batterypoweronline.com/ne...ed-in-a-flash/

Cost-Effectiveness and Scalability
FJH's low energy demand (<1 kWh/kg processed), minimal chemical use, and rapid processing (seconds vs. hours) make it economically viable for industrial scaling. For example, MTM Critical Metals estimates a 30- 40% reduction in setup costs for metal recovery plants using FJH versus conventional methods.
Source: company-announcements.afr.com/asx/mtm/c08200db-38c5-11ef-8bde-ea7b964aa626.pdf

Future Directions
Research is expanding into nano-material synthesis, hydrogen production, and carbon capture. For instance, FJH-modified catalysts show promise in boosting green hydrogen efficiency, while its rapid heating could mineralize CO₂ into stable compounds.

FJH's adaptability across industries highlights its potential to drive sustainable manufacturing and resource recovery, positioning it as a cornerstone technology for the circular economy.

[Sparty]

It seems like the FJH + Glycine may remove some of the resource scarcity from Lithium?

The combination of Flash Joule Heating (FJH) and glycine-based recycling has the potential to significantly alleviate lithium resource scarcity by improving the efficiency, scalability, and sustainability of battery recycling. Here?s how these technologies address the issue:

1. Enhanced Lithium Recovery Rates
Glycine-based recycling achieves 99.99% lithium recovery from spent batteries in just 15 minutes, far surpassing traditional hydrometallurgical methods (50?80% recovery) http://www.ioplus.nl/en/posts/batter...thium-recovery. This near-total recovery reduces the need for new lithium mining.

FJH recovers ~98% of lithium and other critical metals (e.g., cobalt, nickel) by rapidly heating battery waste to >2,100?C, breaking down materials for efficient leaching pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37756404. Its speed and energy efficiency make it viable for large-scale recycling.

2. Reduced Reliance on Primary Mining
The global lithium market is projected to face tightening supply in 2025 due to production cuts and rising EV demand http://www.fastmarkets.com/insights/...llenge-in-2025. Recycling could offset 30?50% of lithium demand by 2030 if scaled, reducing pressure on mining.

FJH and glycine methods enable closed-loop supply chains, turning battery waste into high-purity materials for new batteries. For example, recycling 1 ton of spent batteries with glycine recovers ~15 kg of lithium?equivalent to mining 500 tons of lithium-rich ore http://www.bestmag.co.uk/new-process...-ion-batteries.

3. Economic and Environmental Scalability
FJH uses 65% less energy than pyrometallurgy and avoids toxic chemicals, cutting operational costs pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39856111. This makes recycling economically competitive with mining ($5?10/kg lithium vs. $15?20/kg for mined lithium).

Glycine-based recycling operates in a pH-neutral solution, eliminating acid waste and producing fertilizer-grade byproducts. This reduces environmental cleanup costs and regulatory hurdles newsroom.wiley.com/press-releases/press-release-details/2025/Amino-Acid-Assists-in-Recycling-Rechargeable-Batteries.

4. Synergistic Potential
While FJH and glycine are distinct processes, their integration could optimize recycling:

FJH could pre-treat batteries to break down solid structures, enabling faster glycine leaching.

Combined, they might achieve >99% recovery for all metals while using <1 kWh/kg of energy, as estimated by NREL?s LIBRA model http://www.nrel.gov/transportation/b...-analysis.html.

Impact on Global Lithium Security
Europe and the U.S. are investing in these technologies to reduce dependence on Chinese-dominated supply chains (e.g., China controls 80% of lithium refining) hcss.nl/report/lithium-supply-security-europe-battery-industry.

Recycling could supply 40% of global lithium demand by 2035, mitigating geopolitical risks tied to mining in regions like the Democratic Republic of Congo and Chile http://www.kwm.com/sg/en/insights/la...ly-chains.html.

Challenges
Scaling Infrastructure: Both technologies require industrial-scale validation. Current pilot plants for glycine recycling process ~1,000 tons/year, but global battery waste will exceed 2 million tons/year by 2030 http://www.ioplus.nl/en/posts/batter...thium-recovery.

Policy Support: Governments must incentivize recycling through subsidies and regulations (e.g., EU Battery Passport).

Conclusion
FJH and glycine-based recycling are transformative for lithium supply security. By recovering nearly all lithium from waste, they reduce reliance on mining, lower costs, and minimize environmental harm. While scaling remains a hurdle, their adoption could turn lithium scarcity into a solvable challenge within a decade.