China studies EV battery regeneration as US research clarifies single‑crystal aging
Recent findings by U.S. researchers have clarified why some advanced electric-vehicle batteries age faster than expected, providing context for parallel research in China focused on restoring performance in degraded lithium‑ion cells. The US study identified internal mechanical stress caused by uneven electrochemical reactions within single‑crystal high‑nickel cathodes as a primary driver of cracking and capacity loss, challenging earlier assumptions that single‑crystal designs inherently deliver longer service life, according to IT-home.
Research conducted by Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Chicago found that conclusions drawn from polycrystalline cathodes were incorrectly applied to single‑crystal materials. While single‑crystal cathodes eliminate grain boundaries that can cause cracking, the study showed that reaction inhomogeneity within individual particles generates stress, leading to structural failure during repeated charge-discharge cycles.
Against this background, Chinese researchers have reported laboratory‑scale methods to recover usable capacity from aged electric vehicle batteries. In the second half of 2025, researchers at Huazhong University of Science and Technology reported a molten-salt regeneration technique for aged high‑nickel lithium‑ion battery cathodes commonly used in electric vehicles. According to public reporting on the study, the molten salt process restored up to 76 percent of the original discharge capacity in degraded materials, allowing lithium ions to re‑enter damaged crystal structures and ameliorate structural disorder formed during long‑term cycling.
The study noted that many retired electric vehicle battery cathodes retain sufficient structural integrity to enable regeneration at the material level. This characteristic makes high‑nickel cathodes a suitable target for restoration research, particularly as China’s EV battery retirement market expands rapidly. China’s battery sector is entering a large‑scale retirement phase, with a projected surge in end‑of‑life packs, creating conditions for the expansion of regeneration and recycling activities, according to Science and Technology Daily.
A 2025 Chinese academic study has also examined redox‑based regeneration strategies for spent lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) batteries. A comprehensive review from Jiangsu Normal University and collaborators systematically compiles regeneration methods based on oxidation and reduction reactions, outlines pathways to optimize recycled cathode materials, and emphasizes the need for further research across diverse chemistries, published by RSC.
Industry data indicate that China’s lithium-ion battery recycling and reuse sector involves a full supply chain. Upstream players include battery and raw material recycling companies such as CATL, BYD, Shanxi Coking, and Yunnan Tin. Midstream companies focus on refining and chemical processing, including Huayou Cobalt, New Energy Zhongneng, Ganfeng Lithium, and Haopeng Technology. Downstream firms, which manufacture battery materials or process powder metals, include Dangsheng Technology and Heyuan Fuma. This chain reflects the breadth of industrial participation in China’s growing battery recycling market.
US findings on single-crystal battery aging and Chinese regeneration research show that understanding material-level mechanisms and applying laboratory-scale restoration techniques are both relevant to extending EV battery service life. Chinese studies show that high-nickel and LFP cathodes retain sufficient structural integrity for capacity restoration under controlled conditions. Industry analyses indicate a growing volume of end-of-life EV batteries entering the Chinese market. Research also identifies cost and material considerations, including cobalt usage and alternative chemistries, relevant to potential industrial implementation of regeneration technologies.
