Separation of Cathode Material from Aluminum Plate by Ultrasonic Action using Fenton's Reagent

Abstract

Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) has been used as a binder in lithium-ion batteries due to its high viscosity, which makes it difficult to separate the cathode material from the aluminum plate when recycling waste lithium-ion batteries. In this study, the peeling effect and mechanism of Fenton's reagent on the cathode material and aluminum plate of spent lithium-ion batteries under the action of ultrasound has been researched. The results showed that when the ratio of Fe2+/H2O2 was 1:40, temperature was 45 °C, time was 35 min, and liquid-solid ratio was 50:1, the removal rate of cathode material was 98.52%. The combined action of Fenton's reagent and ultrasonic cavitation oxidized or promoted PVDF to combine with lithium cobalt oxide to form COF3, thereby separating the cathode material from the aluminum foil without changing the structure of lithium cobalt oxide cathode material. Nevertheless, this study may provide a processing method to separate the cathode material from the aluminum plate effectively.