Advances and trends in efficient lithium recovery for lithium-ion battery recycling

Abstract

Lithium is a critical element for the sustainable development of the new energy industry. The widespread adoption of electric vehicles and portable electronics has led to a surge in the use of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), resulting in a corresponding sharp increase in spent batteries. This robust market demand has strained lithium resources. Moreover, spent LIBs contain valuable metal resources like cobalt, nickel, and lithium, but also pose potential environmental risks. Consequently, the efficient recycling of lithium from spent LIBs is considered a crucial strategy to alleviate lithium shortages and secure the supply chain. This review categorizes the primary recycling methods into liquid-phase and solid-phase processes. It systematically examines current approaches, where liquid-phase systems include greener processes such as organic acid leaching, solvent extraction, and electrochemical oxidation, while solid-phase systems involve roasting and mechanical activation. The advantages, limitations, recent research progress, and future trends of these methods are analyzed. This work aims to provide insights and a framework for the efficient recycling of spent LIBs, thereby supporting the stable and sustainable growth of the new energy industry.