Toward the efficient direct regeneration of spent cathode materials through the effect of residual sodium ions analysis

Guanghui Jiang; Lei Liu; Bowen Zhu; Yannan Zhang; Qi Meng; Yingjie Zhang; Peng Dong; Quansheng Ouyang; Zhenghong Zhu

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116661

Toward the efficient direct regeneration of spent cathode materials through the effect of residual sodium ions analysis

J Environ Manage. 2023 Jan 15;326(Pt A):116661. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116661. Epub 2022 Nov 10.

Authors

Guanghui Jiang¹, Lei Liu², Bowen Zhu², Yannan Zhang², Qi Meng³, Yingjie Zhang², Peng Dong², Quansheng Ouyang⁴, Zhenghong Zhu⁵

Affiliations

¹ National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Lithium-ion Batteries and Materials Preparation Technology, Key Laboratory of Advanced Battery Materials of Yunnan Province, Faculty of Metallurgical and Energy Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650093, China; Graphene Materials Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Colleges and Universities, Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center of Used Power Batteries Recycling, Advanced Batteries and Materials Engineering Research Center, Guizhou Light Industry Technical College, Guiyang, 550025, China.
² National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Lithium-ion Batteries and Materials Preparation Technology, Key Laboratory of Advanced Battery Materials of Yunnan Province, Faculty of Metallurgical and Energy Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650093, China.
³ National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Lithium-ion Batteries and Materials Preparation Technology, Key Laboratory of Advanced Battery Materials of Yunnan Province, Faculty of Metallurgical and Energy Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650093, China. Electronic address: mengqi315117@126.com.
⁴ Graphene Materials Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Colleges and Universities, Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center of Used Power Batteries Recycling, Advanced Batteries and Materials Engineering Research Center, Guizhou Light Industry Technical College, Guiyang, 550025, China.
⁵ School of Chemical Engineering, Guizhou Institute of Technology, Guiyang, 550003, China.

PMID: 36372038
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116661

Abstract

Recycling spent lithium-ion batteries is an important means for promoting sustainability within the energy industry. In this study, the effects of residual sodium on the regeneration process and the performance of spent LiNi_0.5Co_0.2Mn_0.3O₂ were explored. An appropriate amount of residual sodium was found to improve the properties of the regenerated material, with the best cycle performance and rate performance at a residual sodium of 3 mol %. The first-cycle and 100-cycle discharge capacities were 136.4 mA h g^-1 and 120 mA h g^-1, respectively, with a capacity retention rate of 87.98% after 100 cycles at a rate of 1 C. The electrochemical performance of the regenerated cathode materials was improved because sodium occupied the lithium sites in the crystal structure, providing a channel for lithium deintercalation. These results indicate that the residual sodium ions should be monitored in appropriate quantities to improve the efficiency of recycling spent lithium-ion batteries.

Keywords: Cathode materials; Regeneration; Sodium; Spent lithium-ion battery.