Review on the Use of Vitrimer Materials for the Reutilization and Recycling of Batteries

ABSTRACT The growing demand for lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) raises critical sustainability challenges related to resource scarcity, environmental impact, and end‐of‐life management. Conventional recycling methods, such as pyrometallurgy and hydrometallurgy, are energy‐intensive and generate hazardous waste, while emerging strategies like direct recycling and second‐life applications remain constrained by irreversible thermoset components. Vitrimers offer a promising solution by combining the mechanical robustness of thermosets with dynamic properties such as reprocessability, self‐healing, and recyclability. This review explores the integration of vitrimer materials into LIB architectures, focusing on three key components: solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs), adhesives, and binders. Vitrimer‐based SPEs enable safer, dendrite‐suppressing electrolytes with enhanced mechanical resilience and potential for closed‐loop recycling. As adhesives, vitrimers facilitate reversible bonding, improving battery disassembly and material recovery. In electrode binders, dynamic networks mitigate mechanical degradation and accommodate volume changes in high‐capacity anodes, enhancing cycle life and stability. Despite these advances, challenges remain in achieving high ionic conductivity at room temperature, ensuring electrochemical compatibility, and scaling production. Vitrimers represent a versatile platform for next‐generation batteries, aligning with circular economy principles and paving the way toward sustainable, repairable, and high‐performance energy storage systems.