In-situ construction of multi-level structures on recycled graphite anode material to enhance its lithium ion...

The growing electric vehicle and electronics industries are generating spent batteries at an accelerating rate. Treating spent graphite anodes remains challenging, as it demands high efficiency, low cost, and environmental benignity. Here, we report a catalytic upcycling strategy to convert spent graphite into high-performance anodes. This approach employs copper oxide, recovered from acidic process waste streams, as a synergistic catalyst. Coupled with pitch coating, the catalyst promotes the formation of a porous hierarchical structure in the regenerated graphite, enabling superior lithium-ion transport and storage. The optimized anode delivers a high capacity of 229 mAh g^-1 at 2C, which is 55 % higher than that of conventionally recycled graphite, and maintains a stable capacity of 274 mAh g^-1 after 300 cycles at 0.5C. This strategy not only boosts electrochemical performance but also enhances economic feasibility by repurposing a waste material. Thus, this work establishes a closed-loop paradigm for sustainable battery recycling.