Towards Sustainable Direct Recycling: Unraveling Structural Degradation Induced by Thermal Pretreatment of Lithium‐Ion Battery Electrodes
2025

Recycling Lithium-Ion Batteries: Effects of Thermal Treatment

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Author Information

Author(s): Liu Shuaiwei, Dolotko Oleksandr, Bergfeldt Thomas, Knapp Michael, Ehrenberg Helmut

Primary Institution: Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

Hypothesis

What are the effects of thermal treatment on the separation efficiency and crystal structure of lithium-ion battery electrodes?

Conclusion

Thermal treatment under air or oxygen atmospheres allows for effective separation of active materials from lithium-ion battery electrodes with minimal structural degradation.

Supporting Evidence

  • Thermal treatment at lower temperatures under air and oxygen atmospheres achieves 100% separation efficiency.
  • Cycled materials show more structural degradation compared to fresh materials during thermal treatment.
  • Graphite maintains its structure better than cathode materials during thermal treatment.

Takeaway

This study shows that heating lithium-ion battery parts can help separate useful materials without damaging them too much, especially when using air or oxygen.

Methodology

The study used thermal treatment at various temperatures and atmospheres to separate active materials from current collectors, followed by structural analysis using XRD.

Limitations

The study does not address the long-term effects of impurities from aluminum and other materials on the recycling process.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1002/cssc.202400727

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