Dragonfly Energy, maker of Battle Born Batteries, in collaboration with battery recycling pioneer Aqua Metals, has reported a significant advance in its quest for sustainable lithium-ion battery production. Dragonfly successfully used high-purity lithium hydroxide recovered by Aqua Metals from recycled lithium-ion batteries to manufacture a standard CR2032 battery cell using Dragonfly’s patented dry battery electrode coating technology.

“This is an exciting step forward for the emerging battery industry, as we have qualified the high-purity lithium hydroxide Aqua Metals recovers from recycled lithium batteries to manufacture new battery cells,” said Dr. Vick Singh, Director of R&D for Dragonfly Energy.

Aqua Metals recovers high-purity lithium hydroxide from black mass, the metallic mixture of crushed and shredded end-of-life battery cells that contains valuable minerals, including lithium. Aqua and Dragonfly have now confirmed that sustainably recycled materials can meet the high standards for advanced battery cell production.

“This is an exciting milestone for us in establishing the efficacy of our sustainable recycling process and affirming that our high-purity recovered material is battery-grade and of equal quality to virgin mined material—with a much lower carbon and waste footprint,” said Steve Cotton, CEO of Aqua Metals.

“The use of recycled lithium addresses two major initiatives for Dragonfly Energy: it helps close the loop by filling in that all-important recycling component, and it provides a ready and sustainable supply of lithium for use in upcoming cell production,” said Dragonfly CEO Dr. Denis Phares. “Dragonfly is committed to securing a robust supply chain that is compliant with the IRA, relating to both mineral processing and battery recycling goals.”

Source: Dragonfly Energy