Cathode recycling of end-of-life lithium batteries
Disclosed herein are improved methods and devices for recycling lithium cathodes from batteries.
1. A method for recycling lithium cathodes from batteries comprising:
providing a battery,
removing a lithium containing cathode from said battery,
contacting the lithium containing cathode with a redox mediator;
wherein the redox mediator is selected from the group consisting of 3,5-di-tert-butyl-o-benzoquinone, thymoquinone, methyl-p-benzoquinone, duroquinone, and naphthoquinone, in order to recover lithium.
2. The method of claim 1 capable of taking place at room temperature.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the cathode is Li[NiMnCo] 1/3 O 2 .
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the cathode is Li 0.9 [NiMnCo] 1/3 O 2 .
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the redox mediator is dissolved in an electrolyte.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the electrolyte is dimethyl ether (DME).
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising using a cathode powder that is agitated in a redox-mediator electrolyte with the Li metal covered with a porous polypropylene membrane wherein the redox mediator is selected from the group consisting of 3,5-di-tert-butyl-o-benzoquinone, thymoquinone, methyl-p-benzoquinone, duroquinone, and naphthoquinone.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the cathode is Li[NiMnCo] 1/3 O 2 .
9. The method of claim 7 wherein the cathode is Li 0.9 [NiMnCo] 1/3 O 2 .
10. The method of claim 7 wherein the electrolyte is dimethyl ether (DME).
11. The method of claim 7 capable of taking place at room temperature.