Recycled Graphite from Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries as a Conductive Framework Directly Applied in Red Phosphorus-Based...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Sustainable Energy

Background:

• Recycling spent graphite from lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is vital for environmental protection and resource conservation.
• Developing advanced anode materials is key to improving LIB capacity and performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a cost-effective method for recycling spent graphite from LIBs.
• To create a novel carbon/red phosphorus composite anode material for enhanced LIB performance.
• To evaluate the electrochemical properties of the recycled graphite-based anode.

Main Methods:

• A two-step recycling process involving heat treatment and solution washing for spent graphite.
• Milling recycled graphite with red phosphorus to form a carbon/red phosphorus composite.
• Fabrication and electrochemical testing of half-cell and full-cell LIB configurations.

Main Results:

• The carbon/red phosphorus composite anode demonstrated excellent cycling stability (721.7 mAh g^-1 after 500 cycles at 0.2 A g^-1).
• Superior rate capability was observed, with a capacity of 276.2 mAh g^-1 at 3 A g^-1.
• The composite showed stable performance in a full-cell configuration with LiCoO₂ cathode.

Conclusions:

• The developed carbon/red phosphorus composite effectively utilizes recycled graphite for high-performance LIB anodes.
• The composite's structure, with red phosphorus encapsulated by carbon, enhances electrochemical properties.
• This study presents a promising, green, and potentially commercializable strategy for LIB recycling and advanced energy storage.