High-Performance Pomegranate-Like CuF₂ Cathode Derived from Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Sustainable Energy

Background:

• Large-scale lithium-ion battery (LIB) adoption generates significant waste.
• Effective and eco-friendly recycling of spent LIBs remains a challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel cathode material from spent LIB components.
• To create a sustainable recycling process for LIBs.

Main Methods:

• In situ fluorination of copper foam using spent LIB electrolyte via a solvent-thermal method.
• Coating the fluorinated copper foam with a sodium alginate (SA) layer.
• Fabrication of a yolk-shell structured CuF2@void@SEI@SA cathode.

Main Results:

• The synthesized CuF2@void@SEI@SA cathode demonstrated a high reversible capacity of ~535 mAh g⁻¹ at 0.05 A g⁻¹.
• The material exhibited excellent cycling stability due to the protective solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) and SA layer.
• The structure effectively accommodated volume changes and prevented material dissolution.

Conclusions:

• This work presents a green and efficient method for recycling spent LIBs.
• The developed cathode material offers a promising solution for high-performance energy storage.
• The approach aligns with environmental protection principles, yielding environmental, social, and economic benefits.