Research Progress on the Separation and Recycling of Cathode Materials for Lithium Iron Phosphate Waste Batteries

The rise of electric vehicles has led to the increasing use of lithium iron phosphate batteries, and a large number of lithium-ion batteries are facing urgent need for recycling due to close to the end of their service life. This paper reviews the current status of recycling used lithium iron phosphate batteries and introduces the main recycling processes, which are pyrometallurgical recycling, hydrometallurgical recycling, and direct recycling. This paper focuses on the separation and recycling technologies of current cathode materials. This review further explores the latest methods and research advances in the separation and recycling of cathode materials, providing a critical analysis of the core challenges and future development prospects of existing process technologies. Through a comparative assessment of various recycling methods, this review proposes an optimized strategy with potential for industrial-scale application. This strategy shifts away from the conventional “leaching-impurity removal-separation” paradigm, which relies on complex separation steps, and instead emphasizes the most advanced and promising green recycling strategies for spent lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries: Namely, “selective leaching” and “direct regeneration.” HIGHLIGHTS An analysis of the current status of lithium iron phosphate recycling was conducted. Provides the latest technical process in the current lithium iron phosphate recovery process. Advances and perspectives in lithium iron phosphate recycling. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT