One-step green hydrometallurgical recycling of spent lithium-ion batteries' cathode.

The transition towards a low-carbon future hinges on the advancement of Lithium-ion battery (LIBs) technology, which has spurred a significant demand for raw materials and the management of waste batteries containing hazardous substances. Developing efficient and environmentally friendly recycling strategies is essential to tackle these challenges. Here, we introduce a one-step green hydrometallurgical recycling of spent lithium-ion batteries' cathode on the basis of contact-electro-catalytic (CEC) process.

Mechanism for Generating H O at Water-Solid Interface by Contact-Electrification.

The recent intensification of the study of contact-electrification at water-solid interfaces and its role in physicochemical processes lead to the realization that electron transfers during water-solid contact-electrification can drive chemical reactions. This mechanism, named contact-electro-catalysis (CEC), allows chemically inert fluorinated polymers to act like single electrode electrochemical systems. This study shows hydrogen peroxide (H O ) is generated from air and deionized water, by ultrasound driven CEC, using fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) as the catalyst.

Degradation of methyl orange by dielectric films based on contact-electro-catalysis.

Contact-electro-catalysis (CEC) has been recently proposed for the effective degradation of methyl orange, but the reactivity of catalysts in the CEC process needs further investigation. Here, we have used dielectric films, such as fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), modified by inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching with argon, to replace the previously employed micro-powder due to their potential scalability, facile recycling process, and possible lower generation of secondary pollution. It has been found that ICP creates cone-like micro/nano structures on the surface, and thus changes the contact angle and specific surface area.