Altilium, a UK-based clean technology company focused on recovering critical battery materials, said on July 29, 2026, that it has been granted its first patent for its core EcoCathode EV battery recycling process. The company described the decision as an important step in the commercialization of its technology and in the expansion of domestic battery materials production.
The UK Intellectual Property Office granted UK Patent No. GB2637908B, titled “Material Recovery Method and Use.” The patent protects Altilium’s hydrometallurgical process for recovering, purifying, and regenerating cathode materials from end-of-life lithium-ion batteries. The process converts black mass into high-purity, battery-grade materials that can be used in the production of new EV batteries, with the aim of returning critical minerals directly into the UK battery supply chain.
According to the company, the patent strengthens its intellectual property strategy and supports a broader international patent portfolio. Related patent applications are progressing in major jurisdictions, and Altilium said the protection is intended to support commercial expansion in the UK as well as potential future licensing opportunities abroad.
Altilium said its patented process differs from conventional recycling routes by directly recovering and regenerating battery-grade cathode materials within a closed-loop system, rather than producing intermediate products that require additional refining overseas. The company said this approach can reduce energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and dependence on imported critical minerals.
The process has already been demonstrated at industrially representative scale through collaborative research and development projects with automotive original equipment manufacturers, with support from the Advanced Propulsion Centre. Independent validation by Imperial College London found that Altilium’s recycled materials performed comparably with virgin mined materials.
The patent is part of a wider portfolio covering cathode active materials, anode active materials, and other critical materials. Altilium said these technologies support its commercial recycling facilities, including its ACT3 plant in Plymouth and planned large-scale production at ACT 4. The company added that demand for sustainable battery materials is expected to grow as EV adoption increases and European Union rules on recycled content in batteries take effect.
Source: Altilium
