PhD Studentship: Direct Recycling of Next-Generation Battery Materials for Sustainable and Circular Manufacturing

The transition to electrified transport and renewable energy storage is driving unprecedented growth in battery manufacturing. However, large-scale battery production generates significant quantities of manufacturing scrap, including coated electrode off-cuts and rejected cells, which contain valuable active materials that are currently underutilised. The development of efficient recycling technologies is therefore essential to support a sustainable and resilient battery supply chain. This PhD project, in the Energy Materials Group, at the University of Birmingham, will investigate advanced direct recycling approaches for lithium-ion and sodium-ion battery materials, with a particular focus on lithium iron phosphate (LFP), lithium manganese iron phosphate (LMFP), and sodium-ion battery chemistries. The research aligns with the objectives of the EU funded project DRAGONS (Direct Recycling with AI for Gigafactory Operations and Next-generation Sustainability) programme, which seeks to develop scalable and economically viable recycling solutions for gigafactory production scrap. Unlike conventional recycling methods that break battery materials down into their constituent elements, direct recycling aims to preserve the structure and functionality of active electrode materials, reducing energy consumption and maximising material value. The successful candidate will explore pathways for recovering, regenerating, and reintegrating battery materials into new cell manufacturing processes.

Research activities may include:

• Characterisation of battery production scrap and recovered materials.
• Development of electrode delamination and separation processes.
• Investigation of binder removal and purification strategies.
• Relithiation and realkaliation approaches for restoring electrochemical performance.
• Fabrication and testing of electrodes containing recycled material.
• Electrochemical evaluation of recycled cathode and anode materials.
• Development of design-for-recycling principles for future battery technologies.

The project will be based within the School of Metallurgy and Materials at the The University of Birmingham, internationally recognised for its leadership in battery research and recycling. The student will have access to state-of-the-art facilities including battery manufacturing dry rooms, reel-to-reel coating equipment, electrochemical testing laboratories, mineral processing facilities, and advanced materials characterisation tools.

Working within a multidisciplinary research environment, the student will collaborate with leading academic and industrial partners across Europe and North America, gaining experience in both fundamental materials science and industrially relevant battery manufacturing and recycling technologies. The outcomes of this research will contribute to the development of sustainable battery value chains, reduction of critical raw material dependency, and advancement of circular economy principles within the global battery industry.

Funding notes:

Fully funded PhD studentship available through project and institutional funding. The award will cover UK only, home tuition fees and provide a tax-free annual stipend at the prevailing UKRI rate for 3.5 years. Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, a first-class or upper second-class honours degree (or international equivalent) in Materials Science, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Metallurgy, Physics, Electrochemistry, or a related discipline. Experience in batteries, energy materials, recycling, or materials characterisation is desirable but not essential.

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