articleNature CommunicationsJan 10, 2026GOLD OA

A three-in-one strategy for lithium recovery and upcycling of spent cathode materials

Chinese Academy of Engineering · Institute of Process Engineering · +4 more institutions

PubMed
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Abstract

The recycling of spent lithium-ion batteries is essential for sustainable development of clean energy industry. Traditional recycling methods face challenges such as high energy/chemical consumption and limited adaptability. This study introduces a ‘Three-in-One’ strategy that leverages mechanochemical (MC) treatment to enhance lithium recovery, transition metal upgrading, and CO2 sequestration. MC treatment induces micro-segregation of lithium and transition metals, resulting in a structurally disordered material with a Li-rich surface, facilitating selective lithium extraction. Subsequently, CO2 is used as the sole reagent and lithium leaching efficiency exceeding 95% is achieved by forming lithium…

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