Simultaneous peeling of precious metals in cathode and anode of spent ternary batteries using electrolysis

Recycling spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is of great significance for both environmental protection and resource recycling. However, there are only a few studies on the simultaneous peeling and recycling of battery anode and cathode. Thus, this work proposed a new process for peeling cathode and anode in spent LIBs to solve this problem. The cathode and anode of the spent LIBs were used to form an electrolytic cell to simultaneously realize the peeling of the electrode materials and current collectors and a large amount of Li+ leaching. The leaching rate of Li+ reached 96.19 % under optimal conditions. In addition, the Li+ in the electrolyte can be directly heated and concentrated to be recovered in the form of Li2CO3. Furthermore, the peeling of cathode materials was caused by the gas shock and defluorination of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). For the Li-free materials, the chemical separation and precipitation method was used to separate and recover Ni, Co, and Mn. In conclusion, this experiment carried out an environmentally friendly electrolysis recycling technique to realize the selective pre-recovery of Li+, the separation of electrode materials with current collectors, and the high purity recovery of current collectors. A new peeling mechanism for the electrolysis recycling technique was also explored. Therefore, this study was expected to provide a useful reference for the electrolysis recycling technique.