Tozero has achieved a major breakthrough with the industrial-scale production of recycled, battery-grade graphite. For the first time, the material has been successfully used in the production of battery cells. For the startup, this proves its suitability for commercial application.
Conventional recycling processes often burn graphite or dissolve it with strong acids, causing it to be lost. Proceedings Tozero's technology is designed to enable the recovery of over 80 percent of the graphite while maintaining its morphological integrity. This allows the material to be reprocessed to battery quality. Successful cell testing confirms performance comparable to a battery cell made from virgin graphite.
Sarah Fleischer, co-founder and CEO of Tozero, says:
"This is a milestone not only for Tozero, but for the entire European battery industry. We've already seen our recycled lithium successfully return to the European supply chain, and now we're proving the same for graphite. Although graphite is essential for battery stability, it's often overlooked in recycling—largely considered unrecyclable—even though it's even more critical and geopolitically vulnerable than lithium."
With its facility, the startup can recover even more critical materials and thus help companies decarbonize, secure local supply chains and transition to a truly circular economy, says Fleischer.
Adham Raslan, hydrometallurgy engineer at Tozero, adds:
"By optimizing our recovery methods, we've unlocked the full potential of recycled graphite. We're giving graphite a second chance—bringing it 'Back to Black.'"
Founded in 2022, the company aims to close the supply gap for recycled batteries in Europe. Pilot plantInaugurated in summer 2023, Tozero is already operating on an industrial scale, recovering lithium and graphite from battery waste. The startup plans to produce more than 2,000 tons of recycled graphite by 2027, and over 10,000 tons by 2030. To establish a circular supply chain for lithium and graphite, the startup is also collaborating with battery waste suppliers in more than ten countries. This will further reduce European dependence on imports and the carbon footprint of battery production.
