A hydrogen bond-driven strategy with ultrasound assistance for ultrafast and efficient recovery of PVDF nanoplastic from polymer solid electrolytes of all-solid lithium-ion batteries

Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) based polymer solid electrolytes are crucial plastic components in all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries (ASLIBs). However, the large-scale application of PVDF-based solid electrolytes without proper treatment will cause persistent environmental contamination and resource waste, thus highlighting an urgent need for effective recovery strategies. Herein, we firstly propose a hydrogen bond-driven strategy with ultrasonic assistance for ultrafast and eco-friendly recovery of PVDF nanoplastic from polymer solid electrolytes of ASLIBs. Utilizing the proposed hydrogen bond-driven strategy, a maximum F leaching efficiency of 98.2% from PVDF nanoplastic can be attained within a short timeframe and under mild conditions using eco-friendly solvents. Compared with traditional methods, ultrasonic treatment exhibits a significantly improved leaching efficiency of approximately 88%. This ultrafast recovery and notable enhancement can be attributed to the breakdown of C-F bonds in PVDF, which is realized by regulating hydrogen bond networks in green solvents combined with ultrasonic treatment. This study presents a novel strategy for the green, rapid and significantly enhanced recovery of PVDF nanoplastic from spent polymer solid electrolytes of ASLIBs.