Licovolt announces partnership with Australian firm to develop batteries for EVs

UCD spinout to scale operations at PBT facility in Hagen

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Image: Hilary Halliwell via Pexels

University College Dublin spin-out Licovolt is working with Australian company Pure Battery Technologies (PBT) to transform the production of sustainable battery materials for the electric vehicle industry.

Licovolt has developed a unique and new way of recycling spent lithium-cobalt batteries at a fraction of the cost and CO2 emissions of current methods.

Situated at the heart of Europe’s EV manufacturing hub, PBT’s refinery in Hagen, Germany, produces about 2,000 tonnes of nickel products annually. Plans are underway to expand operations with a new state-of-the-art refinery expansion to produce up to 12,000 tonnes per annum of high-quality precursor cathode active material (pCAM).

Using innovative, green technology, PBT refines raw materials such as mixed hydroxide precipitate and recycled battery black mass into clean, high-grade pCAM for lithium-ion batteries.

The collaboration strengthens the supply chain for sustainable battery materials, advancing the development of clean energy solutions and supports the global transition to electrification.

Clint Zahmel, executive director, Licovolt, said: “The Licovolt team are excited to be working with PBT, leveraging their operating facility and hard-earned raw material supply and off-take relationships. Licovolt’s agreement with PBT has the potential to springboard Licovolt’s technology as well as provide a valuable addition to PBT’s facilities.”

Bjorn Zikarsky, CEO, PBT, said: “Licovolt’s technology presents an exciting potential addition to PBT’s flow-sheet and PBT’s existing and expanded facilities. PBT and Licovolt have a great team of people and importantly have the ability to rapidly scale Licovolt’s technology given our operating facility in Hagen.”

Licovolt was co-founded by UCD scientists, Associate Professor Tony Keene, UCD School of Chemistry and Associate Professor Steven Ferguson, UCD School of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, with the support of NovaUCD.

TechCentral Reporters

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