On July 29, 2026, UK clean technology company Altilium announced that it has been granted its first patent for the core EcoCathode EV battery recycling process. The UK Intellectual Property Office awarded Patent No. GB2637908B, titled “Material Recovery Method and Use,” which protects Altilium’s hydrometallurgical method for recovering, purifying and regenerating high-value cathode materials from end-of-life lithium-ion batteries. This technology transforms battery “black mass” into high-purity, battery-grade materials that can be reintroduced directly into the UK’s domestic battery supply chain.
The new patent reinforces Altilium’s intellectual property strategy and forms the basis for a growing international portfolio, with applications underway in key global markets. Unlike traditional recycling routes that often produce intermediates needing further processing abroad, the patented process operates within a closed-loop system, significantly reducing energy use, greenhouse gas emissions and dependence on imported critical minerals.
Altilium’s process has been demonstrated at industrially representative scale through collaborative R&D projects with leading automotive OEMs and support from the Advanced Propulsion Centre. Independent testing by Imperial College London confirmed that recycled materials produced via EcoCathode perform comparably to those made from virgin mined sources, validating their suitability for next-generation EV batteries.
“This patent represents a significant milestone for Altilium and validates years of research and development into creating a truly circular supply chain for battery materials,” said Dr. Christian Marston, co-founder and COO. “Our process enables critical battery metals to be recovered and regenerated into battery-grade materials with dramatically lower carbon emissions than traditional mining and refining.”
The newly granted patent is part of Altilium’s broader suite of proprietary technologies for recovering cathode active materials, anode active materials and other critical components. These innovations underpin the commercial operation of Altilium’s ACT3 facility in Plymouth and will support the planned ACT4 plant, while opening opportunities for international licensing and strategic partnerships.
With electric vehicle adoption on the rise and regulations soon mandating higher recycled content in batteries, Altilium’s patented technology offers a scalable, low-carbon solution that bolsters supply chain security and supports UK manufacturing.
Source: Altilium Tech
