Evolution of Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling: State-of-the-Art Processes, Emerging Technologies, and Future Prospects

Abstract

Recycling spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and efficiently extracting high-value-added metal ions (e.g. Li+) hold significant strategic importance for alleviating resource shortages and promoting carbon neutrality in the energy storage sector. However, current recycling methods for spent LIBs still face key issues such as difficulty in disassembly, high energy consumption, and significant environmental pollution. Meanwhile, direct regeneration methods for LIBs remain relatively scarce. This review aims to systematically review and analyze the recycling and regeneration technologies of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). For the recycling technologies, safety hazards are eliminated through physical or chemical discharge in the pretreatment stage. The core recycling technologies include pyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy, and biohydrometallurgy have been summarized. Additionally, this review also covers the recently emerging technologies in such as photocatalytic metallurgy, biomass processing, mechanochemical approach, and electrochemical method for recycling technologies. In terms of the extraction of valuable metals, technologies such as precipitation, electrodeposition, and hydrogel method enable efficient separation and purification has been evaluated according to the recycling efficiency and environmental impacts. Besides, this review also discusses the direct regeneration of LIBs as well as the derivative applications, such as catalysts, other ion batteries, and capacitors. Finally, future challenges, including material heterogeneity, the balance between regeneration efficiency and cost, improvement of regulatory systems, green battery design, and data-driven recycling, have been prospected. This review outlines the upgrading of LIBs recycling and regeneration through technological innovation and system improvement, so as to achieve resource circulation and sustainable development.