Recycling and regeneration of lithium-ion battery cathodes
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsZheng CHEN, Panpan XU
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for regeneration of spent cathode material of lithium-ion batteries involves lithiating the cathode material in a relithiation solution including a reducing agent at a temperature in the range of 60° C. to 180° C. for a sufficient time to heal composition defects in the cathode material. The lithiated material is then sintered to completely recover the properties. The relithiation solution may be a Li-ion source combined with nature-based organic reducing agent such as citric acid, ascorbic acid, tartaric acid, or similar.
Claims22
A method for regeneration of spent cathode material of lithium-ion batteries, the method comprising:
- lithiating the cathode material in a relithiation solution comprising at least one reducing agent at a temperature in the range of 60° C. to 180° C. for a sufficient time to heal composition defects in the cathode material, wherein the at least one reducing agent is a nature-derived organic reducing agent selected from the group consisting of citric acid, ascorbic acid, tartaric acid, oxalic acid, sugars, or a combination thereof;
- and
- sintering the lithiated material.
(canceled)
A method for regeneration of LiFePO4 cathode material from spent lithium-ion batteries, the method comprising:
- disassembling the lithium-ion battery and removing cathode strips;
- soaking the cathode strips in a solvent to separate lithium-containing powder from other components within the cathode strips;
- and
- washing and drying the separated lithium-containing powder;
- disposing the lithium-containing powder in a vessel with a relithiation solution comprising at least one reducing agent, wherein the at least one reducing agent is a nature-derived organic reducing agent is selected from the group consisting of citric acid, ascorbic acid, tartaric acid, oxalic acid, sugars, or a combination thereof;
- heating the vessel and solution to a temperature in the range of 60° C. to 180° C. for a sufficient time to heal composition defects in the cathode material;
- and
- sintering the lithiated material in an inert atmosphere at a sintering temperature.
(canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.