TY - JOUR

T1 - Recycled Graphite Anode from Li-Ion Batteries as Host Material in Li–S Batteries

AU - Sukanya, Sukanya

AU - Bettels, Frederik

AU - Ding, Fei

AU - Zhang, Lin

AU - Wilhelm, René

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2025 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society

PY - 2025/8/28

Y1 - 2025/8/28

N2 - The increasing demand for high-energy storage systems, particularly in electric vehicles and aerospace, has spotlighted lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries due to their superior energy density and use of abundant sulfur, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. However, critical challenges such as the ‘shuttle effect’ and mechanical instability resulting from volume expansions of sulfur-based electrodes impede their practical application. Recent developments primarily focus on carbon–sulfur composite cathodes, employing materials like graphene, albeit at high energy and cost. Innovative research explores sustainable carbonaceous materials from waste, such as recycled paper and cotton fabric, enhancing electrochemical performance but requiring costly activation and carbonization processes. In addressing these limitations, this study investigates using recycled graphite from spent Li-ion batteries as a sulfur host. We successfully modify graphite’s structure and functional groups by employing acid treatments with H2SO4:HNO3 or methanesulfonic acid (MSA) to enhance polysulfide adsorption, reduce volume expansion, and mitigate the shuttle effect. Our approach bypasses traditional energy-intensive processes, highlighting the potential of upcycled materials for eco–friendly and cost-effective Li–S battery technologies, thus contributing to their sustainable advancement.

AB - The increasing demand for high-energy storage systems, particularly in electric vehicles and aerospace, has spotlighted lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries due to their superior energy density and use of abundant sulfur, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. However, critical challenges such as the ‘shuttle effect’ and mechanical instability resulting from volume expansions of sulfur-based electrodes impede their practical application. Recent developments primarily focus on carbon–sulfur composite cathodes, employing materials like graphene, albeit at high energy and cost. Innovative research explores sustainable carbonaceous materials from waste, such as recycled paper and cotton fabric, enhancing electrochemical performance but requiring costly activation and carbonization processes. In addressing these limitations, this study investigates using recycled graphite from spent Li-ion batteries as a sulfur host. We successfully modify graphite’s structure and functional groups by employing acid treatments with H2SO4:HNO3 or methanesulfonic acid (MSA) to enhance polysulfide adsorption, reduce volume expansion, and mitigate the shuttle effect. Our approach bypasses traditional energy-intensive processes, highlighting the potential of upcycled materials for eco–friendly and cost-effective Li–S battery technologies, thus contributing to their sustainable advancement.

KW - acid treatment

KW - spent graphite

KW - sulfur host material

KW - upcycling

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105021866350&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1021/acssusresmgt.5c00206

DO - 10.1021/acssusresmgt.5c00206

M3 - Article

VL - 2

SP - 1449

EP - 1457

JO - ACS Sustainable Resource Management

JF - ACS Sustainable Resource Management

IS - 8

ER -