Recent progress in disposal and recycling of spent lithium-ion batteries

Currently, the fast-growing consumer electronics, electric vehicles and stationary energy storage, have spurred a surge demand for lithium-ion battery(LIB), which occupies the largest share of battery market. Accordingly, both the number and weight of spent LIBs have greatly increased. In view of their large quantities, and the environmental preservation and resources regeneration, the recycling of spent LIBs is highly desirable. In this review, we summarized the disposal and recycling processes developed in both laboratory industrial scales, especially for the research of re-synthesis of new electrode materials in the recycling process. The issues of existing recycling processes lie in the difficulties in separation and purification due to the complexity of the spent materials, secondary pollution problems and insufficient economic motivation. The research in the future should be focused on developing highly efficient, green and low-cost recycling processes.