Toward Integrated Upcycling of Lithium-Ion Battery: Advances and Outlooks

The imminent retirement of large batches of lithium-ion batteries poses a critical challenge to sustainable resource management. While present recycling technologies have demonstrated certain advantages over conventional metallurgical methods, the comprehensive assessment of their environmental impacts has introduced additional requirements. These include adherence to the principles of closed-loop processing, minimized waste streams, and high-value-added recovery. Herein, we offer a summarizing framework that emphasizes the integrated utilization of spent batteries, thereby shifting the research focus from maximizing extraction efficiency toward achieving holistic sustainability. By analyzing the evolution of reutilization strategies, we identify that complex separation processes generate nontrivial carbon footprints and water consumption. This review consolidates these critical aspects, with the aim of encouraging a more balanced perspective that considers both material recovery efficiency and battery upcycling potential.