Wang Junqiang, Liu Zhexuan, Xu Zhizhao, Ding Mei, Lu Bo, Jia Chuankun, Zhou Guangmin
Institute of Energy Storage Technology, College of Energy and Power Engineering, Changsha University of Science & Technology, Changsha, 410114, China.
Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2025 Jun 10;64(24):e202503109. doi: 10.1002/anie.202503109. Epub 2025 Apr 14.
The scarcity of lithium resources and the increasing volume of spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) exacerbate the imbalance between lithium supply and demand. The development of efficient recovery strategies of valuable lithium ion (Li) from spent LIBs and their subsequent utilization presents both significant opportunities and challenges. Here, we propose an innovative approach for Li recovery from spent lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO) batteries (LFPs) and its subsequent utilization in alkaline zinc-ferricyanide flow batteries (AZFFBs). Utilizing a redox-mediated reaction, we achieve exceptional Li recovery efficiency from spent LFPs. Furthermore, the recovered Li in solution leads to the elevated ionic strength in the electrolyte, enhancing the concentration of [Fe(CN)] to a remarkable level of 1.74 M. Utilizing the above catholyte, an AZFFB cell demonstrates the cycling life extending to 11 000 cycles with a degradation rate as low as 0.00019% per cycle and 0.09% per day at a current density of 120 mA cm. This study introduces a straightforward and efficient protocol that eliminates additional intermediate processes, achieving effective Li recovery from spent LFPs and subsequent utilization in flow batteries. The resulting AZFFB exhibits high energy density and long lifespan, positioning it as a promising candidate for large-scale energy storage solutions.
锂资源的稀缺以及废旧锂离子电池（LIBs）数量的不断增加加剧了锂供需之间的不平衡。从废旧LIBs中高效回收有价值的锂离子（Li）及其后续利用既带来了重大机遇，也带来了挑战。在此，我们提出了一种从废旧磷酸铁锂（LiFePO）电池（LFPs）中回收锂并将其用于碱性铁氰化锌液流电池（AZFFBs）的创新方法。利用氧化还原介导反应，我们从废旧LFPs中实现了卓越的锂回收效率。此外，溶液中回收的锂导致电解液中离子强度升高，将[Fe(CN)]的浓度提高到了显著的1.74 M水平。利用上述阴极电解液，一个AZFFB电池在120 mA cm的电流密度下展示出循环寿命延长至11000次循环，降解速率低至每循环0.00019%，每天0.09%。本研究引入了一种简单高效的方案，消除了额外的中间过程，实现了从废旧LFPs中有效回收锂并随后用于液流电池。所得的AZFFB具有高能量密度和长寿命，使其成为大规模储能解决方案的一个有前景的候选者。
