cylib OLiC Water-Based Battery Recycling

cylib is a German battery recycling company founded in 2022 in Aachen by Dr. Lilian Schwich, Paul Sabarny and Dr. Gideon Schwich, based on years of research at RWTH Aachen University. It aims to recover all elements of lithium-ion batteries, including lithium and graphite that conventional processes often lose.

Its proprietary OLiC (Optimised Lithium and Graphite Recovery) process uses a water-based step to extract lithium and graphite before hydrometallurgical recovery of nickel, cobalt and manganese, running on renewable electricity. cylib takes end-of-life batteries, production scrap and black mass and sells cylium lithium carbonate, cygraph graphite and metal compounds. It runs a pilot line in Aachen and is building a 30,000-tonne-per-year plant in Dormagen.

• OLiC process: water-based recovery of lithium and graphite ahead of metal refining.
• Holistic recovery: lithium, graphite, nickel, cobalt and manganese from one flow.
• Flexible feedstock: end-of-life batteries, production scrap and black mass.
• End-to-end chain: discharge, mechanical pre-processing and refining within one company.
• Branded outputs: cylium lithium products and cygraph graphite in several grades.
• Renewable operations: every production step runs on 100 percent renewable electricity.

Battery and EV manufacturers in Vietnam exporting to Europe can source recycled lithium carbonate to meet recycled-content rules. Local recyclers can explore technology partnerships for lithium and graphite recovery from black mass. Cell plants can route production scrap to a closed-loop partner.

The company reports more than 90 percent recycling efficiency and an 80 percent lower carbon footprint than primary extraction, verified by an external life cycle assessment in 2023. Its water-based route sharply reduces chemical use. In January 2026 its recycled lithium carbonate was qualified by an international battery manufacturer and used in new EV batteries, showing the output meets cell-grade specifications.

The EU Battery Regulation sets rising recycled-content and lithium recovery targets, and graphite recovery is becoming a supply security issue. As Vietnam and Southeast Asia attract cell, cathode and EV plants serving export markets, recyclers and producers will look for technology partners that recover lithium and graphite with lower chemical use.

Founded in 2022 in Aachen as a spin-off of RWTH Aachen University research; more than 100 staff at sites in Aachen, Dormagen and Bavaria. Certified to ISO 14001, ISO 50001 and ISO 9001 and registered as a certified waste management company. Selected as a Strategic Project under the EU Critical Raw Materials Act in October 2026.