The object
Yu Haijun helped develop directed recycling that converts spent lithium-ion batteries into regenerated battery-grade cathode materials. By preserving useful material structure rather than only extracting raw elements, the industrial process reduces mineral demand and supports a more circular supply of electric-vehicle battery hardware.
01
What Yu did
Named by the EPO with Xie Yinghao for directed recycling that regenerates battery-grade cathode material from spent lithium-ion batteries.
02
Why it matters
The EPO awarded the team both its 2026 Non-EPO Countries prize and Popular Prize, reporting recovery rates above 96% for key materials.
03
Living-status check
The EPO's dated 2 July 2026 winner release names Yu as an award recipient, positive evidence he was alive in 2026.