Search

Redox-active organic materials have shown great potential as electrodes in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, most of them showed a low discharge potential. We report a thianthrene-based small molecule (BDBDT), which could be facilely synthesized, as a high-potential cathode. The BDBDT cathode exhibited good electrochemical performance with a discharge plateau at 3.9 V (vs. Li/Li+) and a discharge capacity of 63 mA h g−1 after 100 cycles at 500 mA g−1 (∼10C). Our results demonstrate that thianthrene-based molecules are promising for the development of high-potential organic electrodes towards rechargeable batteries with high energy and power density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of large-scale energy storage and the electric-vehicle market, the demand for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is increasing, resulting in the explosive increase in spent LIBs. The cathode materials of spent LIBs contain multiple transition elements, such as lithium (Li), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), and manganese (Mn). The recovery of these metals has significant environmental benefits and high economic value. As a green solvent, deep eutectic solvents (DESs) show great potential in recovering valuable metal elements from spent LIBs. Here, this study proposed a new type of DES formed from betaine hydrochloride and ethylene glycol (betaine hydrochloride and ethylene glycol at a 1 : 5 molar ratio), which can efficiently leach metal elements from spent Ni–Co–Mn lithium batteries (LNCM). The leaching rates of Ni, Co, Mn, and Li can all reach 99% under the conditions of T = 140 °C, t = 10 min and no reductant. Compared with the traditional leaching process, this study provided an economical, green, and efficient approach to recover valuable metals from spent LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]