Optimized Li and Fe recovery from spent lithium-ion batteries via a solution-precipitation method

Abstract

A new process is optimized and presented for the recovery and regeneration of LiFePO₄ from spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The recycling process reduces the cost and secondary pollution caused by complicated separation and purification processes in spent LIB recycling. Amorphous FePO₄·2H₂O was recovered by a dissolution-precipitation method from spent LiFePO₄ batteries. The effects of different surfactants (i.e. CTAB, SDS and PEG), which were added to the solution on the recovered FePO₄·2H₂O, were investigated. Li₂CO₃ was precipitated by adding Na₂CO₃ to the filtrate. Then the LiFePO₄/C material was synthesized by a carbon thermal reduction method using recycled FePO₄·2H₂O and Li₂CO₃ as the Fe, P, and Li sources. The as-prepared LiFePO₄/C shows comparable electrochemical performance to that of commercial equivalents.