NETL Team Turns Plastic Waste into Battery-Grade Graphite

R&D 100 Award-winning innovation addresses plastic pollution and domestic supply chain issues

Jan. 29, 2026 at 3:39pm

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At the 2025 R&D 100 Awards in Scottsdale, Arizona, a team from the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) was recognized for developing PLUS-Graphite, a technology that converts polyethylene waste into high-performance synthetic graphite for lithium-ion batteries. The innovation addresses two key challenges - diverting plastic waste from landfills and oceans, while creating a domestic supply chain for a critical battery material.

Why it matters

The PLUS-Graphite technology developed by NETL's Carbon Materials Manufacturing Team tackles two pressing environmental and economic issues simultaneously. By turning plastic waste into a valuable battery material, it helps reduce plastic pollution while also bolstering domestic production of synthetic graphite, a key component in electric vehicle batteries and energy storage systems.

The details

PLUS-Graphite was developed by the NETL team in less than 24 months on a budget of just $350,000, funded through the lab's internal research and development program. The innovation converts polyethylene waste, a common plastic, into high-performance synthetic graphite suitable for use in lithium-ion batteries.

  • The PLUS-Graphite technology was developed in 2024 and 2025.
  • The team was recognized at the 2025 R&D 100 Awards in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The players

National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL)

A U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory that conducts research to advance energy systems and environmental technologies.

Dr. Pangjali Mule

A member of the NETL team that developed the PLUS-Graphite technology.

Ashra

A member of the NETL team that developed the PLUS-Graphite technology.

Shinway

A member of the NETL team that developed the PLUS-Graphite technology.

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What they’re saying

“It does mean a lot of opportunities for collaboration, for pushing our technology out into the world for real-life marketing.”

— Dr. Pangjali Mule, NETL Team Member

“We want to see how we can recycle plastics, all the waste, and try to produce something that's worth for the world.”

— Ashra, NETL Team Member

What’s next

The NETL team plans to continue developing and scaling up the PLUS-Graphite technology to enable wider adoption and commercialization.

The takeaway

The PLUS-Graphite innovation from NETL demonstrates how targeted research and development can yield solutions that address multiple pressing challenges, from plastic pollution to domestic supply chain issues for critical battery materials.