(Invited) Electrochemical Pathways Towards Recycling Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries

The ever-increasing grid-scale energy storage farms and electric vehicles call for more secondary lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, the battery resource is limited. Thus, the retired LIB is a potential secondary resource for remaking LIBs. Thus, it is urgent to develop efficient and green methods to recycle spent LIBs. Based on the long-time establishments in high-temperature molten salt and electrochemistry, the author developed electrochemical ways to repurpose spent LIBs, including molten salt electrolysis, cathodic assisted electrolysis, and paired electrolysis approaches. Unlike traditional way using chemicals to break down the chemical bonds, the electrochemical methods use electrons to enable the separation. As such, the electrochemical ways are green if renewable electricity is integrated. Hence, we hope to employ electrochemical technologies and classical thermodynamic principles to develop green recycling methods, aiming to provide fundamental insights into the sustainable battery development and renewable energy utilization.