The ever-increasing global energy demand and the resulting environmental damage are forcing people to pursue sustainable energy and storage technologies. Rechargeable batteries, including lead-acid, nickel-metal hydride, nickel-cadmium, and lithium-ion batteries, have received widespread attention and rapid development as highly attractive energy storage technologies.
Rechargeable batteries possess ideal characteristics such as flexible energy density, power performance, high efficiency, ease of operation, and high environmental adaptability. Lithium-ion batteries, in particular, have become the most watched energy storage technology, with applications spanning consumer electronics, new energy vehicles, and large-scale energy storage. It is projected that by 2020, the global market value of lithium-ion batteries will exceed $32 billion, making it the fastest-growing type of rechargeable battery.
The huge demand for rechargeable batteries also means a large amount of waste batteries will be generated. Driven by the booming new energy vehicle industry, the number of waste lithium-ion battery packs will grow exponentially by 2050. Considering the scarce resources used in rechargeable batteries and the presence of some environmentally harmful materials, the recycling and resource reuse of waste rechargeable batteries is of great significance from both economic and environmental perspectives, but it also presents many challenges.
