Processing a battery electrode assembly to recover electrode material
Examples are disclosed that relate to methods and reactors for recycling a positive electrode material of a lithium-ion battery. One example provides a method of recycling a positive electrode material of a lithium-ion battery. The positive electrode material comprises a metal m having a n+ oxidation state (m n+ ). A reaction mixture is formed comprising the positive electrode material, an oxidizing agent, and lithium ions. The positive electrode material is electrochemically replenished with lithium via electrochemical reduction of the lithium ions while maintaining the n+ oxidation state of the metal m in the positive electrode material via the oxidizing agent.
1 . A method of processing a battery electrode assembly comprising a current collector, an electrode material, and a binder, the method comprising:
adding the battery electrode assembly to a solution comprising a metal alkoxide;
adding carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) to the solution, wherein adding the CO 2 to the solution comprises adding one or more of propylene carbonate, ethylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, diethyl carbonate, ethyl methyl carbonate, t-butyl carbonate, or poly(ethylene glycol) carbonate (n=1-10) to the solution;
separating the electrode material from the current collector; and
recovering the electrode material.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal alkoxide is non-aqueous.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming the metal alkoxide by reacting an alcohol with a metal.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein adding the battery electrode assembly to the solution comprises placing the battery electrode assembly into an alcohol, then adding a metal source to the alcohol to form the metal alkoxide.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein adding the battery electrode assembly to the solution comprises placing the assembly into an alcohol, then adding a metal source to the alcohol to form the metal alkoxide.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein adding the metal source comprises adding a metal to the alcohol to form the metal alkoxide.
7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein adding the metal source comprises adding one or more of a metal oxide, metal carbonate, or metal hydroxide, to the alcohol to form the metal alkoxide.
8 . A method of processing a battery electrode assembly comprising a current collector, an electrode material, and a binder comprising polyvinyl difluoride (PVDF), the method comprising:
forming a solution of a lithium alkoxide from a lithium source and an alcohol;
adding carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) to the solution, wherein adding the CO 2 to the solution comprises adding one or more of propylene carbonate, ethylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, diethyl carbonate, ethyl methyl carbonate, t-butyl carbonate, or poly(ethylene glycol) carbonate (n=1-10) to the solution;
adding the battery electrode assembly to the solution;
separating the electrode material from the current collector; and
recovering the electrode material.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the alcohol comprises one or more of ethanol, methanol, propanol, propane diol, ethylene glycol, glycerol, and polyvinyl alcohol.
10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the lithium source comprises a lithium metal.
11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the lithium source comprises one or more of lithium oxide, lithium carbonate, or lithium hydroxide.
12 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising heating the solution prior to recovering the electrode material.
13 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising agitating the solution prior to recovering the electrode material by thrashing in an aqueous solution comprising one or more of LiOH, KOH and NaOH after removal from the solution of the lithium alkoxide.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the aqueous solution further comprises a surfactant.
15 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising removing the binder using the CO 2 after adding the battery electrode assembly to the solution.
16 . A method of processing a battery electrode assembly comprising a current collector, an electrode material, and a binder comprising polyvinyl difluoride (PVDF), the method comprising:
adding the battery electrode assembly to an alcohol;
mixing a lithium source and into the alcohol to form a solution comprising lithium alkoxide;
adding carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) to the solution, wherein adding the CO 2 to the solution comprises adding one or more of propylene carbonate, ethylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, diethyl carbonate, ethyl methyl carbonate, t-butyl carbonate, or poly(ethylene glycol) carbonate (n=1-10) to the solution;
separating the electrode material from the current collector; and
recovering the electrode material.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the solution is non-aqueous.
18 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising adding one or more of a methacrylate or a poly(ethylene glycol) to the solution.