Sustainable Hydrometallurgical LFP Battery Recycling: Electrochemical Approaches

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are crucial for the energy transition, particularly with the rising demand for electric vehicles. Among different battery technologies, lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries have been attracting considerable attention in recent years due to their safe chemistry and relatively cheaper and abundant material composition. As LFP manufacturing is set to increase significantly, a proper end-of-life treatment of these batteries becomes essential to achieve circularity and minimize environmental impacts. However, recycling of LFP batteries is economically challenging because they do not contain many valuable transition metals. This Concept article focuses on recycling of LFP batteries, and explores whether economically viable LFP recycling can be made possible via improvement of recycling processes. Currently, hydrometallurgical recycling processes with inexpensive oxidants for leaching valuable lithium show potential, compared to pyrometallurgical processes. However, these processes still consume large amounts of chemicals. Electrochemical recycling methods that do not require continuous addition of external reagents, or minimize waste production, could lead to more sustainable and economically viable solutions for LFP battery recycling. In addition, combining these processes with other sustainable electrochemical technologies such as green hydrogen production, brine desalination and chemical production is a promising strategy to increase overall energy and product efficiency.