Recycling of NCA cathode material from end-of-life LiBs via Glycerol-triacetate solvent -based separation

Abstract

Currently, a challenging task for recycling both spent lithium-ion batteries and cathode scrap is the separation of cathode materials from the current collector. A promising and efficient recovery method is to use an organic solvent to dissolve the organic polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) binder to recover both cathode materials and aluminum foil. However, the use of toxic solvents hinders its practical application in recycling the large amounts of cathode scrap generated during the manufacturing process. The proposed solvent-based separation process uses glycerol triacetate, a bio-derived green solvent. This study investigates a closed-loop recovery process that recovers cathode materials, including Al foil and PVDF binder, from cathode scrap. Using the glycerol triacetate solvent, a closed-loop recycling process was developed. The glycerol triacetate separation process provides a sustainable platform for the recovery and reuse of electrodes, thereby contributing to battery recycling efforts.