Dec 4, 2024
4:00pm - 4:15pm
Hynes, Level 3, Room 307
Zhiyu Wang1,Songpeng Huang1,Qing Wang1
National University of Singapore1
Zhiyu Wang1,Songpeng Huang1,Qing Wang1
National University of Singapore1
The widespread application of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), particularly those based on lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathode material, has led to significant environmental challenges due to their disposal. Traditional recycling techniques, such as pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical processes, are energy-intensive, costly, and environmentally unfriendly. LIB capacity deterioration primarily occurs through damage to the active material (e.g., irreversible phase transitions, particle cracking) and loss of carrier ions, with the latter being more common in temperature-controlled systems used in large-scale applications.<br/>This study introduces a novel redox-mediated electrochemical approach for the direct recovery of spent LFP materials by restoring the lost lithium. With a regenerative flow cell system, spent LFP materials are compositionally recovered with the addition of lithium sources (i.e., LiOH) mediated by redox-active species. The system could operate at a large scale and low cost. Characterization of the recovered LFP confirms that its electrochemical properties and structural integrity are comparable to the pristine LFP, with fully restored capacity, good capacity retention, and rate performance.<br/>This redox-mediated electrochemical recovery method offers significant advantages over conventional direct recycling approaches in terms of reaction rate and operation flexibility. We anticipate it provides a viable solution for the valorization of end-of-life LIBs, contributing to a circular economy and reducing the environmental impact of battery waste.