The EU-funded SAFELOOP programme has advanced recycled graphite into factory-scale battery manufacturing, using approximately 500 kg of battery-grade recovered graphite in a production campaign involving Turkish battery maker Aspilsan Enerji.
The manufacturing campaign produced 18650-format lithium-ion cells incorporating recycled graphite and high-purity alumina supplied by Cadoux. The cells passed through electrode preparation, coating, assembly and formation during the third quarter. The batteries are intended for integration into modules for an electric bus manufactured by Bozankaya, taking the recycled materials beyond laboratory testing and into an industrial production environment.
Recycled Graphite Enters Manufacturing Qualification
The project addresses a key challenge for battery recycling: demonstrating that recovered materials can meet the requirements of industrial cell manufacturing. Successful recovery and laboratory testing alone do not establish whether recycled graphite can perform reliably during coating, cell formation and long-term battery cycling.
The use of recycled feedstock in manufactured cells therefore represents a further qualification stage. SAFELOOP must establish whether the material can deliver consistent results under manufacturing and operating conditions. Cadoux’s high-purity alumina is also being assessed for functional battery applications, including ceramic coatings.
Performance and Commercial Viability Remain Unconfirmed
The manufacturing milestone does not establish a commercial offtake agreement or recurring revenue. The cells still need to demonstrate performance, safety and repeatability before the materials can progress towards broader commercial qualification. Further testing will need to assess cycle life, charging behaviour and safety, alongside the consistency of cells produced using recycled graphite. Material purity alone will not determine whether the feedstock is suitable for large-scale use.
European Supply Chain Implications
Graphite is a major-volume material used in battery anodes, while European battery supply chains remain heavily dependent on imported processing capacity. Recovering graphite from end-of-life batteries could reduce some of this dependence if recycled material consistently meets battery-grade specifications.
Positive performance results could strengthen the investment case for larger European graphite-recovery and battery-material recycling facilities. However, commercial deployment will depend on repeatable manufacturing performance and costs competitive with virgin graphite. The next stage for SAFELOOP is to establish whether recycled materials can meet these requirements consistently beyond the initial factory-scale production campaign.
