Relithiation in oxidizing conditions

Abstract

Examples are disclosed of methods to recycle positive-electrode material of a lithium-ion battery. One example provides a method including relithiating the positive-electrode material in a solution comprising lithium ions and an oxidizing agent, and after relithiating, separating the positive-electrode material from the solution.

1 . A method of harvesting positive-electrode material of a lithium battery, the method comprising separating the positive-electrode material from an electrode support by agitating the positive-electrode material and the support in a buffered, basic solution comprising an oxidizing agent. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein separating the positive-electrode material from the electrode support comprises thrashing the positive-electrode material in the solution. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solution comprises one or more of water, acetonitrile, DMSO, a carbonate solvent, or ethylene glycol. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the oxidizing agent comprises one or more of oxygen, a peroxide, a permanganate, a nitrate, a sulfite, a carbonate, and a phosphate. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 collecting solids from the solution;   rinsing the solids with a liquid; and   drying the rinsed solids.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising grinding the positive-electrode material. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising removing an amount of carbon from the positive-electrode material. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising relithiating the positive-electrode material in a relithiation solution comprising replenishing lithium ions. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the relithiating comprises heating the positive-electrode material in the relithiation solution under pressure in an autoclave. 
     
     
         10 . A method of harvesting positive-electrode material of a lithium battery, the method comprising:
 removing the positive-electrode material from the lithium battery;   thrashing the positive-electrode material in a buffered, basic solution comprising an oxidizing agent to thereby separate the positive-electrode material from an electrode support; and   recovering the positive-electrode material from the solution.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the solution comprises one or more of water, acetonitrile, DMSO, a carbonate solvent, or ethylene glycol. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the oxidizing agent comprises one or more of oxygen, a peroxide, a permanganate, a nitrate, a sulfite, a carbonate, and a phosphate. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 collecting solids from the solution;   rinsing the solids with a liquid; and   drying the rinsed solids.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising removing an amount of carbon from the positive-electrode material. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising relithiating the positive-electrode material in a relithiation solution comprising replenishing lithium ions. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the relithiating comprises heating the positive-electrode material in the relithiation solution under pressure in an autoclave 
     
     
         17 . A method of recycling a positive-electrode material of a lithium-ion battery, the method comprising:
 separating the positive-electrode material from an electrode support by agitating the positive-electrode material and the support in a basic separation solution comprising an oxidizing agent;   relithiating the positive-electrode material by heating the positive-electrode material under pressure in a relithiation solution comprising replenishing lithium ions.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the separation solution comprises one or more of water, acetonitrile, DMSO, a carbonate solvent, ethylene glycol, or an ionic liquid. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the separation solution comprises a molten salt. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the separation solution comprises an inorganic molten salt at 200-1000 C or an organic molten salt at 80-300 C.