AMBIENT-PRESSURE REGENERATION OF DEGRADED LITHIUM-ION BATTERY CATHODES

A method for direct recycling of degraded lithium-ion battery (LIB) cathodes includes relithiating degraded lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxide (NCM) by mixing the cathode particles with a eutectic molten-salt solution and heating the mixture at ambient pressure over a period of time, followed by a short-time thermal annealing. Combining low-temperature relithiation using the eutectic molten-salt solution with thermal annealing provides successful regeneration and full recovery of the LIB to its original storage capacity, cycling stability and rate capability to the levels of the pristine materials. The method is useful to recycle and remanufacture degraded cathode materials for LIB or sodium-ion batteries.