Rice University team develops fast, low-waste method to recover lithium and key metals without harsh chemicals.
Houston, Texas, 12 December 2025 – Scientists in Texas have developed a breakthrough technology that could change how lithium-ion batteries are recycled, making the process faster, cleaner, and far more sustainable. Researchers at Rice University in Houston have created a new method that separates lithium and other valuable metals from used battery cells without relying on strong acids, large amounts of water, or energy-intensive processing.
The innovation is led by chemist James Tour and is known as the flash Joule heating–chlorination and oxidation process, or FJH-ClO. Unlike traditional recycling techniques that can take hours and use corrosive chemicals, this approach works in seconds.
The process uses short bursts of extremely high heat. In the first step, shredded battery waste is briefly exposed to chlorine gas while undergoing flash Joule heating. This breaks apart the complex structure of the battery materials. In the second step, the material is rapidly heated in air, converting most metals into oxides.
Lithium behaves differently. It does not oxidize under these conditions and remains in a chloride form. This allows lithium to be easily separated using only water, avoiding the use of chemical-heavy extraction methods.
According to the research team, the method can recover nearly all key battery materials, including lithium, cobalt, and graphite, with high purity. Early studies suggest the process could cut energy use by about half and reduce chemical consumption by up to 95 percent compared to current commercial recycling systems.
James Tour said the goal was to challenge the belief that battery recycling must depend on acid-based leaching. He explained that the new method offers a precise and environmentally responsible way to recover valuable materials without damaging them.
Postdoctoral researcher Shichen Xu added that older recycling methods involved multiple slow steps and harsh chemicals, limiting their real-world impact. The speed and simplicity of the FJH-ClO process, he said, make it practical for industrial use.
The technology is now moving beyond the lab. The team is working through Flash Metals USA, a division of Metallium, to scale up the system and integrate it into the global battery materials supply chain. The researchers believe the process can help reduce dependence on mining while supporting a more circular economy for electric vehicles and energy storage batteries.
If widely adopted, the new method could set a new standard for sustainable battery recycling, helping industries meet rising demand for lithium-ion batteries without increasing environmental damage.
