Preparation of graphite anodes for lithium-ion batteries from aluminum electrolysis spent cathode carbon

The aluminum electrolytic spent cathode is rich in carbon resources, making it a promising candidate for reuse as an anode material in lithium-ion battery. However, the traditional method of recycling spent cathode carbon (SCC) causes environmental pollution and does not realize the High-value utilization of the carbon resources. Herein, the aluminum electrolytic spent cathode was subjected to several different processes, followed by comprehensive analyses of its composition, structure, morphology and electrochemical properties. The results show that the synergistically treated cathode (EFPSCC) forms a unique coral fluffy structural, characterized by high specific surface area, numerous pores and larger interlayer spacing. The presence of amorphous carbon and graphene structures effectively reduces the kinetic barrier to lithium ion diffusion, and the high pseudo-capacitance contribution accelerates the migration of electrons and ions on the surface. Additionally, the results of synchrotron radiation-based soft X-ray absorption (sXAS) spectroscopy indicate that the EFPSCC sample maintains a relatively stable SEI film during the charge/discharge cycles. Impressively, the EFPSCC exhibited a specific capacity of 516 mAh·g⁻¹ in the first discharge, with an initial coulombic efficiency of 73 %. After 100 cycles at 0.1C, the specific capacity remained 380mAh·g⁻¹. This study provides a novel method for the high-value recycling of aluminum electrolytic spent cathodes, which can also be applicable to the recycling of similar materials.