Defect‐Enriched NiCoMnO x /Attapulgite Catalyst Derived from Spent Lithium Ion Battery for Efficient Toluene Oxidation

Catalytic oxidation can efficiently remove volatile organic compounds by converting them into carbon dioxide and water, while minimizing secondary pollution. Currently, with the rapid development of the new energy industry, ternary lithium‐ion power batteries are facing a peak in decommissioning. These spent batteries contain valuable metal elements, such as Mn, Co, and Ni. Recycling them as raw materials for catalyst preparation not only reduces costs but also achieves a "waste‐to‐waste" strategy. Herein, delithiation etching of spent LIBs is performed using a high‐concentration sodium carbonate solution under ultrasonic assistance, yielding NiCoMnO x powder. This powder is subsequently loaded onto attapulgite (ATP) via a mechanochemical method. During ball milling, nitric acid is introduced to leach a small amount of Mg 2+ ions from the ATP. These Mg 2+ ions are then doped into the NiCoMnO x lattice during the reaction, inducing lattice expansion. This lattice distortion generated increased oxygen vacancies and defects, thereby enhancing lattice oxygen mobility and improving oxygen activation capacity. The NiCoMnO x /ATP catalyst prepared with a LIBs‐to‐ATP mass ratio of 0.6:1 exhibits outstanding catalytic performance for toluene oxidation: achieving 99% conversion at 270 °C and demonstrating excellent stability during prolonged cycling tests.