Subtractive transformation of cathode materials in spent Li-ion batteries to a low-cobalt 5 V-class cathode material.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 38316784.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-024-45091-8 and PMC identifier 10844610.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Adding extra raw materials for direct recycling or upcycling is prospective for battery recycling, but overlooks subtracting specific components beforehand can facilitate the recycling to a self-sufficient mode of sustainable production. Here, a subtractive transformation strategy of degraded LiNi<sub>0.5</sub>Co<sub>0.2</sub>Mn<sub>0.3</sub>O<sub>2</sub> and LiMn<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub> to a 5 V-class disordered spinel LiNi<sub>0.5</sub>Mn<sub>1.5</sub>O<sub>4</sub>-like cathode material is proposed. Equal amounts of Co and Ni from degraded materials are selectively extracted, and the remaining transition metals are directly converted into Ni<sub>0.4</sub>Co<sub>0.1</sub>Mn<sub>1.5</sub>(CO<sub>3</sub>)<sub>2</sub> precursor for preparing cathode material with in-situ Co doping. The cathode material with improved conductivity and bond strength delivers high-rate (10 C and 20 C) and high-temperature (60 °C) cycling stability. This strategy with no extra precursor input can be generalized to practical degraded black mass and reduces the dependence of current cathode production on rare elements, showing the potential of upcycling from the spent to a next-generation 5 V-class cathode material for the sustainable Li-ion battery industry.