Princeton NuEnergy wins grant to accelerate direct recycling of lithium-ion batteries

Battery recycling firm Princeton NuEnergy (PNE) has been awarded a SuperBoost grant from the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Energy Storage Engine in Upstate New York to scale its low-temperature plasma-assisted separation process for direct recycling of lithium-ion batteries.

Founded at Princeton University in 2019, PNE is developing technology that enables the repair and rejuvenation of cathode (CAM) and anode materials containing critical minerals, without the high-temperature furnaces or strong acids used in conventional pyro- and hydro-metallurgical processes. This results in a low-cost, energy-efficient process that eliminates toxic waste streams and produces materials with performance comparable to virgin sources, according to the company.

The SuperBoost grant will enable PNE to demonstrate the scalability of the low-temperature plasma-assisted separation (LPAS) process using pouch cells provided by upstream partners.

“This is not just about sustainability, it’s about securing critical infrastructure and materials here at home,” said Dr. Chao Yan, co-founder and CEO of PNE. “We are able to accelerate our scale-up efforts and bring circular economy solutions to the US battery market faster and more cost-effectively.”

Source: Princeton NuEnergy