Direct Regeneration of Spent Cathode Materials by Green Redox System

In the "carbon-neutral" context, Lithium-ion batteries are widely used in various fields, and the need for efficient and environmentally friendly recycling of spent lithium-ion batteries is becoming increasingly urgent. However, current direct regeneration methods often lead to non-uniform distribution of regenerated materials, lack of material activity, and unsatisfactory electrochemical performance. A novel method is proposed for the direct regeneration of spent cathode materials using a green redox system composed of a lithium solution (C2H5LiO) and O2. The first cycle discharge-specific capacity of the regenerated LiCoO2 material is 157.6 mAh g-1, and the 100 cycles capacity retention rate is 94.3%, equivalent to that of commercial LiCoO2 materials. The new method will hopefully be adapted for the regeneration of further spent cathode materials, providing theoretical guidance for the environmentally-friendly, efficient, and sustainable recycling of spent lithium-ion batteries