Recycling of LiFePO4 cathode materials: From laboratory scale to industrial production

Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) has emerged as one of the most popular cathodes due to its excellent properties of low cost, high safety and stability. However, owing to the limited lifespan caused by degradation, the widespread use of LiFePO4 batteries would generate a large number of spent batteries, the improper disposal of which causes environmental pollution and waste of resources. Therefore, the recycling of these batteries is important for environmental protection, resource conservation and economic efficiency. This review summarises LiFePO4 cathode materials from their development and degradation mechanisms, illustrating the reasons and necessity of their recycling. In addition, battery recycling technologies are systematically discussed from laboratory scale to industrial production in terms of efficiency, economic benefits and environmental impact. Finally, we identify the challenges of LiFePO4 cathode recycling and offer some perspectives on these challenges. These endeavors demonstrate that the degradation of large-scale batteries drives the formation of recycling demand. Therefore, it is necessary to accurately assess the degradation mechanism which is a precondition of cathode recycling. Besides, the cathode recycling mechanism should be paid much attention, simplifying the recycling process. Moreover, it is essential to illustrate the impact of impurities and defects generated during the cycling. As such, this review provides valuable insights in innovating and boosting LiFePO4 cathode recycling technologies on an industrial scale.