Green and efficient method for recycling and regenerating spent ternary lithium-ion batteries

The harmful emissions and waste of resources brought on by discarded LiNi 1/3 Co 1/3 Mn 1/3 O 2 (NCM111) lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are developing along with the LIBs battery industry. This study presents a direct recycling process that preserves the high added value and composite structure of cathode materials, enabling the recycled materials to achieve commercial-grade quality. By dissolving the aluminum foil in discarded NCM111 cathode electrode foils using sodium hydroxide, followed by hydrothermal treatment and annealing, the discharge capacity of the recycled material can be restored. The hydrothermal regeneration method is employed to recover spent NCM111 cathode materials. The best processing technique for direct hydrothermal recovery ultimately is identified by evaluating different hydrothermal treatment conditions, such as hydrothermal temperature, hydrothermal time, and lithium replenishment levels. The recovered material exhibits a specific discharge capacity of 158.78 mAh/g at a 0.1C rate and 136.61 mAh/g at a 0.5C rate. After 200 cycles at 0.5C, the specific discharge capacity at 0.5C remains at 131.64 mAh/g, with a capacity retention rate of 96.36%. This method not only achieves direct regeneration of ternary materials effectively but also offers a novel approach for developing future eco-friendly direct regeneration techniques.