Efficient separation of electrode active materials and current collector metal foils from spent lithium-ion batteries by a green deep eutectic solvent

Hua, Yunhui1,2; Xu, Zhenghe3; Zhao, Baojun2,4; Zhang, Zuotai1

2022-09-01

10.1039/d2gc02844a

GREEN CHEMISTRY   Impact Factor & Quartile

1463-9262

1463-9270

Electrode material separation is an essential element for recycling spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), and the key is to decompose/remove the organic polymer binder that is usually polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). The density functional theory calculation is used to predict a suitable deep eutectic solvent (DES) for degrading the PVDF binder as required for the effective separation of the electrode active materials from current collector foils. The potassium carbonate-ethylene glycol DES was thus identified as an efficient DES for electrode material separation. Investigation of the molecular reaction mechanism revealed that it was the carbonate ions that reacted with the PVDF polymer chains and caused the degradation of the polymer, leading to effective separation. The electrode materials could be completely separated under mild reaction conditions (100 degrees C, 20 min), and the DES could be recovered and reused for multiple cycles. The separated electrode materials all had high purities and their crystal structures remained unchanged. The green DES developed in this study provides a highly efficient and environmentally friendly pathway for the pretreatment of spent LIBs.

SCI ; EI

English

First ; Corresponding

National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars[52225407] ; Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Committee["JCYJ20200109141437586","JCYJ20200109141227141","KCXFZ20211020165004006"]

Chemistry ; Science & Technology - Other Topics

Chemistry, Multidisciplinary ; Green & Sustainable Science & Technology

WOS:000863732600001

ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY

20224413039463

Density functional theory ; Electrodes ; Ethylene ; Ethylene glycol ; Eutectics ; Fluorine compounds ; Ions ; Lithium-ion batteries ; Organic polymers ; Potash

Metallography:531.2 ; Chemical Operations:802.3 ; Organic Compounds:804.1 ; Inorganic Compounds:804.2 ; Organic Polymers:815.1.1 ; Probability Theory:922.1 ; Atomic and Molecular Physics:931.3 ; Quantum Theory; Quantum Mechanics:931.4

CHEMISTRY

Web of Science

1.Southern Univ Sci & Technol SUSTech, Sch Environm Sci & Engn, Shenzhen 518055, Peoples R China
2.Univ Queensland, Sch Chem Engn, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia
3.Southern Univ Sci & Technol SUSTech, Dept Mat Sci & Engn, Shenzhen 518055, Peoples R China
4.Jiangxi Univ Sci & Technol, Fac Mat Met & Chem, Ganzhou 341000, Peoples R China

Hua, Yunhui,Xu, Zhenghe,Zhao, Baojun,et al. Efficient separation of electrode active materials and current collector metal foils from spent lithium-ion batteries by a green deep eutectic solvent[J]. GREEN CHEMISTRY,2022.

Hua, Yunhui,Xu, Zhenghe,Zhao, Baojun,&Zhang, Zuotai.(2022).Efficient separation of electrode active materials and current collector metal foils from spent lithium-ion batteries by a green deep eutectic solvent.GREEN CHEMISTRY.

Hua, Yunhui,et al."Efficient separation of electrode active materials and current collector metal foils from spent lithium-ion batteries by a green deep eutectic solvent".GREEN CHEMISTRY (2022).