TY - JOUR
T1 - Bidirectional Lattice Anchoring Enhances Composition Reconfiguration of Spent Lithium-Ion Cathodes
AU - Zhu, Ahui
AU - Fan, Ersha
AU - Zhang, Xiaodong
AU - Chen, Renjie
AU - Li, Li
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2026 Wiley-VCH GmbH.
PY - 2026/5/27
Y1 - 2026/5/27
N2 - High-value recycling of retired lithium-ion battery materials is pivotal for the circular economy. The nickel-rich strategy, with its merits in boosting energy density, stands out as a key approach for upcycling spent LiNi0.54Co0.16Mn0.3O2 (SNCM). However, the inherent structural defects of SNCM and the heterogeneous reactions among precursors during regeneration jointly induce irreversible phase transformations, preventing the formation of an ideally ordered layered structure. Therefore, we developed a targeted bidirectional anchoring strategy involving pre-anchoring Al species on both SNCM and Ni(OH)2 surfaces. This method reduces the energy barrier for lithiation in the surface-disordered structures of SNCM and suppresses the structural degradation of nickel-rich intermediate phases, thereby addressing the root cause of structural disorder during upcycling. The upcycled cathode material exhibits a stable layered structure and a distinctive nickel concentration gradient from the surface toward the bulk. It delivers outstanding electrochemical performance, including a reversible capacity of 186.84 mAh g−1 at 0.2C and retaining 90.17% of its initial capacity after 200 cycles at 1C, outperforming current commercial materials. Furthermore, this study provides essential insights into solid-state regeneration and establishes a pathway toward the high-value recycling of degraded lithium-ion batteries, demonstrating great potential for practical application.
AB - High-value recycling of retired lithium-ion battery materials is pivotal for the circular economy. The nickel-rich strategy, with its merits in boosting energy density, stands out as a key approach for upcycling spent LiNi0.54Co0.16Mn0.3O2 (SNCM). However, the inherent structural defects of SNCM and the heterogeneous reactions among precursors during regeneration jointly induce irreversible phase transformations, preventing the formation of an ideally ordered layered structure. Therefore, we developed a targeted bidirectional anchoring strategy involving pre-anchoring Al species on both SNCM and Ni(OH)2 surfaces. This method reduces the energy barrier for lithiation in the surface-disordered structures of SNCM and suppresses the structural degradation of nickel-rich intermediate phases, thereby addressing the root cause of structural disorder during upcycling. The upcycled cathode material exhibits a stable layered structure and a distinctive nickel concentration gradient from the surface toward the bulk. It delivers outstanding electrochemical performance, including a reversible capacity of 186.84 mAh g−1 at 0.2C and retaining 90.17% of its initial capacity after 200 cycles at 1C, outperforming current commercial materials. Furthermore, this study provides essential insights into solid-state regeneration and establishes a pathway toward the high-value recycling of degraded lithium-ion batteries, demonstrating great potential for practical application.
KW - bidirectional anchoring
KW - heterogeneous reaction
KW - nickel-enrichment
KW - stable layered structure
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105033845806
U2 - 10.1002/aenm.70869
DO - 10.1002/aenm.70869
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:105033845806
SN - 1614-6832
VL - 16
JO - Advanced Energy Materials
JF - Advanced Energy Materials
IS - 20
M1 - e70869
ER -