Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling Facts and Opportunities

The growing demand is generating a huge number of spent lithium-ion batteries, thereby urging the development of cost-effective and environmentally sustainable recycling technologies to manage electrode scraps and end-of-life batteries. Lithium-ion battery recycling of end-of-life batteries is still in its infancy, with many fundamental and technological hurdles to overcome. The recycling rate of waste LIBs is projected to be much behind the rapid growth of the LIB market because of the complexity of the technology and its use cases. Several recycling strategies, including the pyrometallurgical process, hydrometallurgical process, and direct recycling approach, are being adopted on the market and are under further development by researchers. Here, we provide an overview of the current state of battery recycling by outlining and evaluating the incentives, key issues, and recycling strategies. A direct recycling strategy, which is developed in the US. Advanced Battery Recycling Consortium (ReCell) will be highlighted through a discussion of its benefits, processes, and challenges. Direct cathode regeneration seeks to recover the functional cathode particles without decomposition into substituent metals or salts along with other components such as graphite and current collectors. Perspectives on this important field's future energy and environmental science will also be discussed.