Altilium Secures UK Patent for EV Battery Recycling, a significant breakthrough for the UK’s electric vehicle industry and domestic battery supply chain. The company has received its first official UK patent (UK Patent No. GB2637908B) for its proprietary EcoCathode™ technology, a hydrometallurgical recycling process designed to recover valuable materials from end-of-life lithium-ion batteries and manufacturing scrap. The patented innovation, titled “Material Recovery Method and Use,” enables the direct conversion of battery “black mass” into high-purity, battery-grade cathode materials, reducing dependence on imported raw materials while supporting a circular battery economy.
How the EcoCathode Process Improves EV Battery Recycling
Unlike conventional recycling methods that generate intermediate products requiring additional refining overseas, Altilium’s EcoCathode process operates as a fully closed-loop system. This means spent lithium-ion batteries can be transformed into battery-grade cathode active materials within the UK, helping reduce transportation emissions and strengthening domestic manufacturing. Altilium Secures UK Patent for EV Battery Recycling also supports lower carbon emissions by regenerating critical battery materials instead of relying on energy-intensive mining and refining of virgin resources.
Another distinguishing feature is the company’s focus on graphite recovery. Beyond extracting valuable metals, Altilium re-engineers recovered graphite into anode active material, addressing a strategic supply chain challenge as global graphite production remains heavily concentrated in China.
Commercial Expansion Backed by Large-Scale Facilities
The patented technology forms the foundation of Altilium’s commercial expansion strategy. ACT 1 serves as the company’s research and development centre, while ACT 2 successfully validated the process by recycling one complete EV battery each day. Construction of ACT 3 in Plymouth is underway and is expected to become operational in 2027, bridging pilot operations with industrial-scale production.
The company’s long-term vision is ACT 4, a major recycling facility planned for Teesside. Once operational, it will process battery scrap equivalent to around 150,000 EVs annually and produce approximately 30,000 metric tons of Cathode Active Material (CAM), enough to meet nearly 20% of the UK’s projected CAM demand by 2030.
Patent Strengthens Global Growth Strategy
Altilium Secures UK Patent for EV Battery Recycling as the company prepares to expand internationally. Corresponding patent applications are progressing across major global markets, while support from investors, including Marubeni Corporation, Mizuho Bank, and SQM Lithium Ventures, is accelerating commercial deployment.
According to co-founder and COO Christian Marston, the patent validates years of research aimed at building a truly circular battery materials supply chain. He emphasized that intellectual property will play a vital role as the company scales from pilot operations to full commercial production.
With rising EV adoption and increasing demand for sustainable battery materials, Altilium Secures UK Patent for EV Battery Recycling represents an important step toward improving battery security, reducing carbon emissions, and creating a resilient domestic EV manufacturing ecosystem.
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