Generally, the recycling of waste lithium-ion batteries involves a combination of physical and chemical methods. Physical methods mainly include mechanical separation, thermal treatment, mechanochemistry, and dissolution processes. Among chemical methods, due to their advantages such as low energy consumption, minimal wastewater, and high recovery rate of high-purity metals, researchers mostly prefer to use hydrometallurgical methods to recycle waste LIBs. These methods mainly include acid/alkali/biological filtration, chemical precipitation, solvent extraction, and electrochemical processes.
1. Dismantling and recycling is currently the most important method, generally including wet recycling, dry recycling, and biological recycling. Wet recycling is the most widely used and commercialized method. The improvement in the quality of lithium-ion battery raw materials and the recycling of used batteries to obtain reusable materials are the most important ways for manufacturers to reduce costs.
2. Cascade utilization involves using high-performance lithium-ion batteries as energy storage batteries. However, the recycling cost of high-performance lithium-ion batteries is higher than that of ordinary batteries, and high consistency of batteries is required. This method is currently in trial operation and is not yet perfect.
3. Lithium-ion battery recycling equipment mainly adopts physical recycling methods, supplemented by waste disposal measures. It features green and low-carbon characteristics, energy saving and environmental protection, and no secondary pollution. The entire recycling process is fully automated, with high recycling efficiency and strong processing capacity. The lithium-ion battery separation and recycling equipment can achieve a recycling rate of more than 99% for valuable components of waste lithium-ion batteries.
4. Under vacuum conditions, the battery is placed into an electrolyte collection device that maintains dew point conditions; a puncture hole is formed on the battery using a needle, and the electrolyte in the battery flows out from the puncture hole directly into the electrolyte collection pool; after the electrolyte has flowed out naturally for 30-60 minutes, the electrolyte in the electrolyte collection pool is added to a nitrogen-protected reaction vessel, and then a 30-50% barium oxide ethanol solution is added to recover lithium fluoride for recycling.
Over the next two decades, the global number of lithium-ion batteries used in energy storage systems and other applications will steadily increase, highlighting the necessity for sustainable recycling pathways for these batteries in the future. Battery recycling companies are tasked with addressing these emerging challenges through innovative solutions, including improved technologies and innovative supply chains, to better recycle these batteries and meet the rapidly growing demand for critical and scarce battery materials.
