IIT Roorkee Startup Metastable Materials Develops Indigenous Technology to Recover Critical Battery Metals

Bengaluru-based deep-tech startup Metastable Materials has developed an indigenous battery-recycling technology capable of recovering lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper and aluminium from used lithium-ion batteries without relying on conventional chemical-intensive extraction methods. The technology aims to strengthen India’s domestic supply of critical minerals while reducing the environmental impact of battery recycling.

Founded in October 2021 by IIT Roorkee alumni Shubham Vishvakarma, Manikumar Uppala and Saurav Goyal, Metastable Materials has developed a proprietary process called Integrated Carbothermal Reduction™. The company is working to transform discarded batteries into valuable industrial raw materials that can re-enter manufacturing supply chains.

Integrated Carbothermal Reduction Technology Recovers Valuable Battery Metals

Metastable Materials has developed a recycling process that uses the chemical characteristics of spent lithium-ion batteries to recover valuable metals without introducing the conventional acids and chemical reagents used in many recycling systems.

Its patented Integrated Carbothermal Reduction technology combines controlled thermal processing with material separation techniques to extract critical minerals from discarded batteries.

Conventional battery recycling often relies on hydrometallurgical processes involving chemical solutions or pyrometallurgical processes operating at elevated temperatures. These methods require specialised equipment and careful management of chemical residues and energy consumption.

Metastable Materials has developed an alternative that aims to reduce the use of external chemicals while recovering valuable materials in commercially usable forms.

According to the company, its recycling technology can recover critical minerals at rates of up to 99%, depending on the material and operating conditions. This figure represents the company’s stated technological capability rather than independently verified recovery performance across every battery chemistry.

Lithium, Cobalt, Nickel and Copper Recovered from Used Batteries

Lithium-ion batteries contain several economically important materials that remain valuable after the batteries reach the end of their useful life.

Metastable Materials focuses on recovering lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper and aluminium from battery waste. These materials serve a wide range of industrial applications, including energy storage, electronics, automotive manufacturing and advanced engineering.

The company’s official product portfolio includes lithium carbonate with approximately 99.2% purity, alongside recovered cobalt-nickel material, aluminium and copper.

According to Metastable Materials, its recovered products are supplied in commodity forms, allowing manufacturers to use them in different industrial applications.

Lithium carbonate is an important feedstock for battery materials, while nickel and cobalt support battery manufacturing and other metallurgical industries. Copper is widely used in electrical equipment, and aluminium remains essential for automotive and industrial production.

Producing these materials from discarded batteries creates an additional domestic source of industrial metals and supports the development of circular supply chains.

Bengaluru Recycling Facility Supports Commercial Operations

Metastable Materials operates a battery-recycling facility at the Harohalli Industrial Area near Bengaluru, Karnataka.

The company’s official website identifies a 21,000-square-foot recycling facility and reports a recycling-capacity figure of 7,000 metric tonnes per year.

The facility incorporates specialised equipment for handling, processing and separating materials recovered from spent lithium-ion batteries.

Battery recycling requires particular attention to safety because damaged lithium-ion cells can present fire, thermal runaway and hazardous-material risks.

Metastable Materials has developed multilayered, heat-resistant and fire-resistant packaging systems for transporting hazardous lithium-ion battery waste. These systems aim to reduce risks during collection and transportation.

The company also reports that its extraction technology reduces water consumption to approximately three litres per kilogram of recycled battery waste.

These measures form part of its approach to developing an integrated battery-recycling operation covering safe transportation, material recovery and the supply of recovered metals.

Technology Could Strengthen India’s Critical Mineral Supply Chains

Critical minerals have become increasingly important to India’s industrial development, particularly as electric mobility, renewable energy and battery energy storage systems expand.

Lithium, cobalt and nickel are essential components of several rechargeable battery chemistries. Demand for these materials is closely linked to electric vehicles, portable electronics and grid-scale energy storage.

India’s development of domestic battery manufacturing capabilities requires dependable access to raw materials and processed mineral products.

Recycling offers an additional source of these materials by recovering metals already present in batteries used by consumers and industries.

Metastable Materials describes its approach as treating battery waste as a secondary mineral resource. Instead of viewing discarded batteries exclusively as hazardous waste, the company processes them as valuable feedstock for industrial material recovery.

This approach can help retain valuable minerals within the domestic economy and reduce the need for some newly extracted raw materials.

IIT Roorkee Alumni Build Indigenous Battery Recycling Technology

Metastable Materials emerged from the engineering and research experience of its founders, who studied at IIT Roorkee.

The startup was established to address the technical and economic challenges associated with recycling lithium-ion batteries.

Its founding team combines expertise in process engineering, industrial engineering and supply chain management.

The company received early investment support from Akshay Singhal and Kartik Hajela, co-founders of Log9 Materials, along with other angel investors.

Subsequent investment backing included Peak XV Partners’ Surge programme, Speciale Invest and Theia Ventures.

This funding support has helped Metastable Materials develop its technology, establish recycling infrastructure and pursue commercial opportunities in India’s emerging critical minerals industry.

Battery Recycling Contributes to India’s Circular Economy

India’s transition towards electric vehicles and renewable energy is creating new opportunities for companies specialising in battery materials, recycling technologies and industrial resource recovery.

Used lithium-ion batteries contain materials that can be recovered and returned to manufacturing, reducing waste and extending the productive life of critical mineral resources.

Metastable Materials’ technology addresses this opportunity through an indigenous extraction process designed to recover valuable metals while limiting chemical consumption.

Its development also highlights the growing contribution of Indian research-driven startups to advanced materials processing and sustainable manufacturing.

Indigenous Technology Supports India’s Clean Energy and Manufacturing Future

Metastable Materials is developing capabilities that connect battery recycling, critical mineral recovery and advanced industrial manufacturing.

Its Integrated Carbothermal Reduction technology demonstrates an alternative approach to recovering valuable materials from discarded lithium-ion batteries, while its Bengaluru operations provide a foundation for expanding industrial recycling activities.

By converting battery waste into reusable industrial resources, Metastable Materials is contributing to India’s efforts to strengthen domestic critical mineral supplies, advance indigenous recycling technologies and build a more resource-efficient manufacturing ecosystem.

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References

1. Metastable Materials — Official Company Website: Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling and Integrated Carbothermal Reduction Technology.
   https://www.metastable.in/
2. Metastable Materials — Our Journey, Founders and Company Development.
   https://www.metastable.in/about
3. Metastable Materials — Recycled Metals and Product Specifications.
   https://www.metastable.in/products
4. Peak XV Partners — Surge Portfolio: Metastable Materials. Official investor profile covering founders, recycling technology and investment background.
   https://surge.peakxv.com/companies/metastable
5. Metastable Materials — Official Corporate Updates on Battery Recycling, Critical Mineral Recovery and Technology Development.
   https://www.linkedin.com/company/metastable-materials-pvt-ltd/

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