American Manganese Inc, the company which upcycles lithium-ion battery waste into battery materials, has said it is poised to further strengthen its global patent portfolio to protect its innovative technology.
The company said it has now filed National Phase Patent Applications (NPPA) for Europe, South Korea, Canada, India, Australia, Japan, and China - covering the second invention contained in its 'RecycLiCo' battery recycling process.
"I'm proud of the excellent patent portfolio that we have built for efficient lithium-ion battery recycling and, in addition, a significant underlying value of American Manganese," Larry Reaugh, the CEO of American Manganese told investors in a statement.
READ: American Manganese receives notice of allowance from Canadian Patent Office for its lithium-ion battery recycling technology
"This patent was first issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office on June 5, 2019, which was only 81 days from the initial filing date. From our internal review of all issued patents by the US Patent Office, we indicated that our patent was the fastest issued patent under the Chemistry of Inorganic Compounds classification," he added.
The company's technology, developed with partner Kemetco Research, recycles spent lithium-ion battery waste into high-value cathode materials such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and manganese with up to 99% purity, which can then go back into the cycle to manufacture new batteries.
American Manganese cited Bloomberg forecasts for sales of 56 million passenger electric vehicles worldwide in 2040, noting that the need to recycle the volume of end-of-life batteries "will be a certainty".
The latest patent filed encompasses the novel processes that enhance the RecycLiCo process and expand processing capability. The company said these functions, and their benefits, included:
- The recovery of graphite and treatment of black mass material originating from the mechanical size reduction of end-of-life lithium-ion batteries.
- The treatment of fluoride originating from the lithium-ion battery electrolyte.
- The separation of aluminum from cathode active material in battery manufacturing scrap.
Contact the author at giles@proactiveinvestors.com