(337aa) Total Life Cycle Optimization: A Facile Remanufacturing for Restoring Performance of Spent Li Ion Cathodes

Research Interests: Renewable Energy, Sustainability, Remanufacturing, Li Ion Batteries, Optimal & Fast Charging Modeling, Cell Performance Optimization

As demand for Lithium-Ion Batteries (LIBs) have skyrocketed over the past decade, the need for better recycling methods to reuse valuable metals has become increasingly vital. Additionally, the recent Covid pandemic and Russian invasion of Ukraine has also brought the vulnerability of global supply lines into sharper focus. Recycling provides insulation and enhances energy security against such disruptions. There are three main methods of recycling LIBs which are physical (pyro-metallurgy), chemical (hydrometallurgy), and direct. Physical and Chemical methodologies tend to suffer from high cost, complicated processes, and safety concerns from waste products plus the release of dangerous chemicals. They also destroy the critical underlying structures that enhance the effectiveness of electrode material. Therefore, our approach focuses the direct recycling methodology which can leave these useful features intact but also reduces cost and safety concerns from dangerous byproducts.

We want to develop a simplified remanufacturing process that has two tracks for cathodes and anodes. Both tracks dismantle cells to remove the electrodes (washed with DMF) which undergo a plasma treatment (which includes filling in cracks with fresh electrode material), and a calendar process (drying & pressing). Afterwards, the cathode track has an additional Re-lithiation step where NMC622 cathode undergoes several cycles at C/100 in a Lithium foil half-cell. Finally, these cells undergo cycle testing at various C-rates ranging from C/10 to 1C and lasting 10-25 times. Different slurries will be used to fill in the crack to see how performance varies between standard (ie the same material as the original cathode slurry), a placebo (with no active material) and a salted version of the standard slurry with LiTFSi salt added. Additionally, we will compare plasma treating using a wand and a full plasma machine. We aim to develop a low-cost alternative to traditional treatment methods. The first stage focused on the treatment of Cathodes is presented here.