Nondestructive flash cathode recycling

Weiyin Chen, Yi Cheng, Jinhang Chen, Ksenia V. Bets, Rodrigo V. Salvatierra, Chang Ge, John Tianci Li, Duy Xuan Luong, Carter Kittrell, Zicheng Wang, Emily A. McHugh, Guanhui Gao, Bing Deng, Yimo Han, Boris I. Yakobson () and James M. Tour ()
Additional contact information
Weiyin Chen: Rice University
Yi Cheng: Rice University
Jinhang Chen: Rice University
Ksenia V. Bets: Rice University
Rodrigo V. Salvatierra: Rice University
Chang Ge: Rice University
John Tianci Li: Rice University
Duy Xuan Luong: Rice University
Carter Kittrell: Rice University
Zicheng Wang: Rice University
Emily A. McHugh: Rice University
Guanhui Gao: Rice University
Bing Deng: Rice University
Yimo Han: Rice University
Boris I. Yakobson: Rice University
James M. Tour: Rice University

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract Effective recycling of end-of-life Li-ion batteries (LIBs) is essential due to continuous accumulation of battery waste and gradual depletion of battery metal resources. The present closed-loop solutions include destructive conversion to metal compounds, by destroying the entire three-dimensional morphology of the cathode through continuous thermal treatment or harsh wet extraction methods, and direct regeneration by lithium replenishment. Here, we report a solvent- and water-free flash Joule heating (FJH) method combined with magnetic separation to restore fresh cathodes from waste cathodes, followed by solid-state relithiation. The entire process is called flash recycling. This FJH method exhibits the merits of milliseconds of duration and high battery metal recovery yields of ~98%. After FJH, the cathodes reveal intact core structures with hierarchical features, implying the feasibility of their reconstituting into new cathodes. Relithiated cathodes are further used in LIBs, and show good electrochemical performance, comparable to new commercial counterparts. Life-cycle-analysis highlights that flash recycling has higher environmental and economic benefits over traditional destructive recycling processes.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50324-x

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