{ "node": { "id": "term:closed-loop-recycling", "type": "Term", "label": "Closed-loop recycling", "properties": { "id": "closed-loop-recycling", "name": "Closed-loop recycling", "section": "topic-recycling", "definition": "Recycling in which the recovered material goes back into the same kind of product, battery metals into new cathodes rather than into steel or other markets. A closed-loop claim can be made per element, per material or per company, and is only as strong as the mass balance behind it.", "related": [ "recycling", "recycled-content", "direct-recycling", "circular-economy", "limiting-reagent" ], "url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/glossary/closed-loop-recycling/", "mentions": [] } }, "edges": [ { "id": "edge:belongsTo/term:closed-loop-recycling/topic:topic-recycling", "source": "term:closed-loop-recycling", "target": "topic:topic-recycling", "type": "belongsTo", "properties": { "sourceFile": "terms.json" } }, { "id": "edge:relatedTo/term:closed-loop-recycling/term:recycling", "source": "term:closed-loop-recycling", "target": "term:recycling", "type": "relatedTo", "properties": { "sourceFile": "terms.json", "meaning": "Related context; not a causal claim" } }, { "id": "edge:relatedTo/term:closed-loop-recycling/term:recycled-content", "source": "term:closed-loop-recycling", "target": "term:recycled-content", "type": "relatedTo", "properties": { "sourceFile": "terms.json", "meaning": "Related context; not a causal claim" } }, { "id": "edge:relatedTo/term:closed-loop-recycling/term:direct-recycling", "source": "term:closed-loop-recycling", "target": "term:direct-recycling", "type": "relatedTo", "properties": { "sourceFile": "terms.json", "meaning": "Related context; not a causal claim" } }, { "id": "edge:relatedTo/term:closed-loop-recycling/term:circular-economy", "source": "term:closed-loop-recycling", "target": "term:circular-economy", "type": "relatedTo", "properties": { "sourceFile": "terms.json", "meaning": "Related context; not a causal claim" } }, { "id": "edge:relatedTo/term:closed-loop-recycling/term:limiting-reagent", "source": "term:closed-loop-recycling", "target": "term:limiting-reagent", "type": "relatedTo", "properties": { "sourceFile": "terms.json", "meaning": "Related context; not a causal claim" } }, { "id": "edge:illustratedBy/term:closed-loop-recycling/visual:closed-loop-claim", "source": "term:closed-loop-recycling", "target": "visual:closed-loop-claim", "type": "illustratedBy", "properties": { "sourceFile": "visual-pages.json" } } ], "neighbors": [ { "id": "topic:topic-recycling", "type": "Topic", "label": "Recycling and end of life", "properties": { "id": "topic-recycling", "name": "Recycling and end of life", "lede": "What happens to a battery after its first life: reuse, and the recycling routes that recover its materials, step by step.", "context": "Distinguish recovered material from a qualified product.", "example": "High mass recovery alone does not establish battery-grade purity or refining energy demand.", "lesson_url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/fundamentals/cell-production/", "lesson_label": "Open process context" } }, { "id": "term:recycling", "type": "Term", "label": "Battery recycling", "properties": { "id": "recycling", "name": "Battery recycling", "section": "topic-recycling", "definition": "Recovering lithium, nickel, cobalt, copper and aluminium from end-of-life cells and production scrap. Scrap is today’s main feedstock; vehicle returns will dominate in the 2030s, and regulation now sets minimum recovery rates.", "related": [ "black-mass", "hydrometallurgy", "pyrometallurgy", "direct-recycling", "eu-battery-regulation", "collection-target" ], "url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/glossary/recycling/", "mentions": [ "cobalt", "production-scrap" ] } }, { "id": "term:recycled-content", "type": "Term", "label": "Recycled content minimum", "properties": { "id": "recycled-content", "name": "Recycled content minimum", "section": "topic-sustainability", "definition": "The EU Battery Regulation’s requirement that industrial and EV batteries declare the share of recycled cobalt, lithium, nickel and lead in their active materials, and from 2031 meet minimums of 16 % cobalt, 6 % lithium, 6 % nickel and 85 % lead, rising again in 2036.", "unit": "%", "related": [ "eu-battery-regulation", "recycling", "battery-passport", "collection-target", "virgin-material" ], "url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/glossary/recycled-content/", "mentions": [ "cobalt" ] } }, { "id": "term:direct-recycling", "type": "Term", "label": "Direct recycling", "properties": { "id": "direct-recycling", "name": "Direct recycling", "section": "topic-recycling", "definition": "Recovering cathode material with its crystal structure intact and relithiating it for reuse, instead of breaking it down to metal salts. It promises lower energy and cost but must handle a mix of chemistries and ages.", "related": [ "recycling", "hydrometallurgy", "cathode-active-material", "relithiation", "upcycling" ], "url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/glossary/direct-recycling/", "mentions": [ "cathode" ] } }, { "id": "term:circular-economy", "type": "Term", "label": "Circular economy", "properties": { "id": "circular-economy", "name": "Circular economy", "section": "topic-recycling", "definition": "Keeping materials in use through repair, reuse, remanufacturing and recycling rather than mining and discarding. For batteries it means design for disassembly, second-life use and closed-loop recycling of the metals.", "related": [ "recycling", "second-life", "eu-battery-regulation", "design-for-recycling" ], "url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/glossary/circular-economy/", "mentions": [ "dismantling", "closed-loop-recycling" ] } }, { "id": "term:limiting-reagent", "type": "Term", "label": "Limiting reagent", "properties": { "id": "limiting-reagent", "name": "Limiting reagent", "section": "topic-recycling", "aka": [ "limiting element" ], "definition": "The reactant that runs out first and so caps how much product a reaction can make, given the fixed proportions of its formula. When recovered metals are made back into cathode, the scarcest element relative to the recipe limits the batch; the others are left over or topped up with new material.", "related": [ "cathode-active-material", "precursor", "virgin-material", "closed-loop-recycling" ], "url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/glossary/limiting-reagent/", "mentions": [ "cathode" ] } }, { "id": "visual:closed-loop-claim", "type": "Visual", "label": "A closed-loop claim needs enough returned packs", "properties": { "title": "A closed-loop claim needs enough returned packs", "summary": "To make a claimed mass of cathode from returned packs, the packs must hold enough of the limiting element at the recovery the whole route achieves.", "readout": "8 t of NMC 622 holds 2907 kg of nickel. 100 returned packs of 34 kg nickel cover it from a chain recovery of 85.5 %.", "formula": "N_needed = m_claim × w_Ni / (m_Ni per pack × R)", "note": "Only nickel is tested here; the study tests the element that limits the claimed cathode. Production scrap and other recycled feed are outside the claim.", "software": { "status": "reference", "label": "Reference concept", "body": "battery-core does not model recycling. The Lemonergy closed-loop recycling study tests an entered claim against a returned fleet with this arithmetic.", "href": "../glossary/#topic-recycling" }, "html": "
Packs needed for the claim
Packs needed for the claimChain recovery of nickel R versus Returned packs. Packs needed; Packs returned. Interpretation follows the graphs.00.5470.625940.751410.8751881Chain recovery of nickel RReturned packs
Packs neededPacks returned (dashed)
" } } ] }