Efficient recycling strategies of cathode material from spent Li-ion batteries

Li-ion batteries (LIBs) are the primary choice in the e-mobility application and their demand is expected to accelerate significantly in the coming years. However, the scarcity of critical raw materials in batteries highlights the challenge of meeting material demands. Consequently, recycling emerges as a vital strategy to recover and reuse these materials. In addition, LIBs that have reached the end of their life are categorized as hazardous and potentially harmful waste.

Current approaches to the recycling of spent LIBs can be classified into pyrometallurgical, hydrometallurgical, and direct recycling. The concept of direct recycling has attracted a lot of attention in recent years because it offers several advantages compared to other recycling methods that require high energy consumption and chemicals utilization. Indeed, direct recycling ensures high recovery rate of cathode active materials (CAM) while employing simpler processes, compared with pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical recycling.

In this talk, a comparison of the different recycling processes of end-of-life LIBs will be discussed. Additionally, an innovative, efficient, and green method for the direct recycling of the CAM materials by avoiding the destruction of spent cathode active materials will be presented. Indeed, the developed process aims to refresh or reactivate active electrode materials to restore the energy density and cycle life during cycling.