Enhancement of recovered graphite's electrochemical performance during LIB recycling to promote circular sustainable development

Abstract

The extensive use of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has highlighted the issue of their disposal. As LIBs contain hazardous elements, improper disposal endangers the environment and human health. As a result, recycling outdated LIBs is unavoidable. Graphite, a key component of LIB, has substantial environmental consequences, and many graphite production plants are experiencing legal issues worldwide. However, due to its cheap cost and lengthy recovery procedure, it has yet to receive significant attention. LIBs recovery has also become unprofitable and unwanted due to cobalt-free cathode chemistries. In this work, we have attempted to improve the electrochemical performance of recovered graphite during the recovery process to generate a high-performance nanocomposite that can be used to fabricate novel anode material, adding value to the recycling process. The new anode material exhibits 824 mAh g−1 initial discharge capacity and retained 428 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1 after 100 cycles. Furthermore, even at a current density of 2 A g−1, the material retained 355 mAh g−1 reversible capacity post 65 cycles, confirming its potential use as LIBs anode. Finally, we advocate the use of recovered graphite rather than virgin graphite for circular sustainable development.