{"title":"Advancements in direct recycling technologies for lithium-ion battery cathodes: Overcoming challenges in cathode regeneration","authors":"Subramanian Natarajan , Suguru Noda","doi":"10.1016/j.mser.2025.100976","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) currently dominate the energy storage landscape, generating a substantial volume of valuable waste resources at the end of their life and presenting additional recycling challenges and environmental hazards. Emerging direct recycling technologies offer promising solutions by rejuvenating spent electrode materials through simplified processes and surpassing traditional pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical technologies in terms of energy savings and carbon footprint reduction. The regeneration of high-value cathode materials has become especially interesting worldwide for reuse in the same battery applications, reducing dependence on raw materials and alleviating global supply chain burdens. Therefore, this review analyzes the current research in direct recycling technology, particularly relithiation techniques for restoring cathode performance without structural destruction, and sequential extraction steps and reuse in a straightforward manner. Advancements in direct recycling technologies such as chemical relithiation, electrochemical relithiation, solid-state sintering, and molten salts are discussed in detail for different cathode chemistries. Finally, the challenges present in direct recycling technologies are addressed to promote the regeneration process at an industrial level.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":386,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science and Engineering: R: Reports","volume":"164 ","pages":"Article 100976"},"PeriodicalIF":31.6000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Materials Science and Engineering: R: Reports","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0927796X25000531","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"MATERIALS SCIENCE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) currently dominate the energy storage landscape, generating a substantial volume of valuable waste resources at the end of their life and presenting additional recycling challenges and environmental hazards. Emerging direct recycling technologies offer promising solutions by rejuvenating spent electrode materials through simplified processes and surpassing traditional pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical technologies in terms of energy savings and carbon footprint reduction. The regeneration of high-value cathode materials has become especially interesting worldwide for reuse in the same battery applications, reducing dependence on raw materials and alleviating global supply chain burdens. Therefore, this review analyzes the current research in direct recycling technology, particularly relithiation techniques for restoring cathode performance without structural destruction, and sequential extraction steps and reuse in a straightforward manner. Advancements in direct recycling technologies such as chemical relithiation, electrochemical relithiation, solid-state sintering, and molten salts are discussed in detail for different cathode chemistries. Finally, the challenges present in direct recycling technologies are addressed to promote the regeneration process at an industrial level.
期刊介绍:
Materials Science & Engineering R: Reports is a journal that covers a wide range of topics in the field of materials science and engineering. It publishes both experimental and theoretical research papers, providing background information and critical assessments on various topics. The journal aims to publish high-quality and novel research papers and reviews.
The subject areas covered by the journal include Materials Science (General), Electronic Materials, Optical Materials, and Magnetic Materials. In addition to regular issues, the journal also publishes special issues on key themes in the field of materials science, including Energy Materials, Materials for Health, Materials Discovery, Innovation for High Value Manufacturing, and Sustainable Materials development.