Targeted regeneration and upcycling of spent graphite by defect‐driven tin nucleation

The recycling of spent batteries has become increasingly important owing to their wide applications,abundant raw material supply,and sustainable development.Compared with the degraded cathode,spent anode graphite often has a relatively intact structure with few defects after long cycling.Yet,most spent graphite is simply burned or discarded due to its limited value and inferior performance on using conventional recycling methods that are complex,have low efficiency,and fail in performance restoration.Herein,we propose a fast,efficient,and“intelligent”strategy to regenerate and upcycle spent graphite based on defect‐driven targeted remediation.Using Sn as a nanoscale healant,we used rapid heating(~50 ms)to enable dynamic Sn droplets to automatically nucleate around the surface defects on the graphite upon cooling owing to strong binding to the defects(~5.84 eV/atom),thus simultaneously achieving Sn dispersion and graphite remediation.As a result,the regenerated graphite showed enhanced capacity and cycle stability(458.9 mAh g^(−1) at 0.2 A g^(−1) after 100 cycles),superior to those of commercial graphite.Benefiting from the self‐adaption of Sn dispersion,spent graphite with different degrees of defects can be regenerated to similar structures and performance.EverBatt analysis indicates that targeted regeneration and upcycling have significantly lower energy consumption(~99%reduction)and near‐zero CO_(2) emission,and yield much higher profit than hydrometallurgy,which opens a new avenue for direct upcycling of spend graphite in an efficient,green,and profitable manner for sustainable battery manufacture.

Recycled graphite for more sustainable lithium-ion batteries

The demand for lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)is driven largely by their use in electric vehicles,which is projected to increase dramatically in the future.This great success,however,urgently calls for the efficient recycling of LIBs at the end of their life.Herein,we describe a froth flotation-based process to recycle graphite—the predominant active material for the negative electrode—from spent LIBs and investigate its reuse in newly assembled LIBs.It has been found that the structure and morphology of the recycled graphite are essentially unchanged compared to pristine commercial anode-grade graphite,and despite some minor impurities from the recycling process,the recycled graphite provides a remarkable reversible specific capacity of more than 350 mAh g^(−1).Even more importantly,newly assembled graphite‖NMC532 cells show excellent cycling stability with a capacity retention of 80%after 1000 cycles,that is,comparable to the performance of reference full cells comprising pristine commercial graphite.

Stable and reversible zinc metal anode with fluorinated graphite nanosheets surface coating

A highly stable zinc metal anode modified with a fluorinated graphite nanosheets(FGNSs)coating was designed.The porous structure of the coating layer effectively hinders lateral mass transfer of Zn ions and suppresses dendrite growth.Moreover,the high electronegativity exhibited by fluorine atoms creates an almost superhydrophobic solid-liquid interface,thereby reducing the interaction between solvent water and the zinc substrate.Consequently,this leads to a significant inhibition of hydrogen evolution corrosion and other side reactions.The modified anode demonstrates exceptional cycling stability,as symmetric cells exhibit sustained cycling for over 1400 h at a current density of 5 mA/cm^(2).Moreover,the full cells with NH_(4)V_(4)O_(10)cathode exhibit an impressive capacity retention rate of 92.2%after undergoing 1000 cycles.

An efficient recycling strategy to eliminate the residual“impurities”while heal the damaged structure of spent graphite anodes

The recycling of graphite from spent lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)is overlooked due to its relatively low added value and the lack of efficient recovering methods.To reuse the spent graphite anodes,we need to eliminate their useless components(mainly the degraded solid electrolyte interphase,SEI)and reconstruct their damaged structure.Herein,a facile and efficient strategy is proposed to recycle the spent graphite on the basis of the careful investigation of the composition of the cycled graphite anodes and the rational design of the regeneration processes.The regenerated graphite,which is revitalized by calcination treatment and acid leaching,delivers superb rate performance and a high specific capacity of 370 mAh g^(-1)(~99% of its theoretical capacity)after 100 cycles at 0.1 C,superior to the commercial graphite anodes.The improved electrochemical performance could be attributed to unchoked Li^(+) transport channels and enhanced charge transfer reaction due to the effective destruction of the degraded SEI and the full recovery of the damaged structure of the spent graphite.This work clarifies that the electrochemical performance of the regenerated graphite could be deteriorated by even a trace amount of the residual“impurity”and provides a facile method for the efficient regeneration of graphite anodes.

Edge and lithium concentration effects on intercalation kinetics for graphite anodes

Graphite interfaces are an important part of the anode in lithium-ion batteries(LIBs),significantly influencing Li intercalation kinetics.Graphite anodes adopt different stacking sequences depending on the concentration of the intercalated Li ions.In this work,we performed first-principles calculations to comprehensively address the energetics and dynamics of Li intercalation and Li vacancy diffusion near the no n-basal edges of graphite,namely the armchair and zigzag-edges,at high Li concentration.We find that surface effects persist in stage-Ⅱ that bind Li strongly at the edge sites.However,the pronounced effect previously identified at the zigzag edge of pristine graphite is reduced in LiC_(12),penetrating only to the subsurface site,and eventually disappearing in LiC_(6).Consequently,the distinctive surface state at the zigzag edge significantly impacts and restrains the charging rate at the initial lithiation of graphite anodes,whilst diminishes with an increasing degree of lithiation.Longer diffusion time for Li hopping to the bulk site from either the zigzag edge or the armchair edge in LiC_(6) was observed during high state of charge due to charge repulsion.Effectively controlling Li occupation and diffusion kinetics at this stage is also crucial for enhancing the charge rate.

Probing the electric double layer structure at nitrogen-doped graphite electrodes by constant-potential molecular dynamics simulations

Electric double layer(EDL)is a critical topic in electrochemistry and largely determines the working performance of lithium batteries.However,atomic insights into the EDL structures on heteroatom-modified graphite anodes and EDL evolution with electrode potential are very lacking.Herein,a constant-potential molecular dynamics(CPMD)method is proposed to probe the EDL structure under working conditions,taking N-doped graphite electrodes and carbonate electrolytes as an example.An interface model was developed,incorporating the electrode potential and atom electronegativities.As a result,an insightful atomic scenario for the EDL structure under varied electrode potentials has been established,which unveils the important role of doping sites in regulating both the EDL structures and the following electrochemical reactions at the atomic level.Specifically,the negatively charged N atoms repel the anions and adsorb Li~+at high and low potentials,respectively.Such preferential adsorption suggests that Ndoped graphite can promote Li~+desolvation and regulate the location of Li~+deposition.This CPMD method not only unveils the mysterious function of N-doping from the viewpoint of EDL at the atomic level but also applies to probe the interfacial structure on other complicated electrodes.

Growth kinetics of titanium carbide coating by molten salt synthesis process on graphite sheet surface

The synthesis of carbide coatings on graphite substrates using molten salt synthesis(MSS),has garnered significant interest due to its cost-effective nature.This study investigates the reaction process and growth kinetics involved in MSS,shedding light on key aspects of the process.The involvement of Ti powder through liquid-phase mass transfer is revealed,where the diffusion distance and quantity of Ti powder play a crucial role in determining the reaction rate by influencing the C content gradient on both sides of the carbide.Furthermore,the growth kinetics of the carbide coating are predominantly governed by the diffusion behavior of C within the carbide layer,rather than the chemical reaction rate.To analyze the kinetics,the thickness of the carbide layer is measured with respect to heat treatment time and temperature,unveiling a parabolic relationship within the temperature range of 700-1300℃.The estimated activation energy for the reaction is determined to be 179283 J·mol^(-1).These findings offer valuable insights into the synthesis of carbide coatings via MSS,facilitating their optimization and enhancing our understanding of their growth mechanisms and properties for various applications.

Template-Induced Graphitic Nanodomains in Nitrogen-Doped Carbons Enable High-Performance Sodium-Ion Capacitors

Sodium-ion capacitors(SICs)have great potential in energy storage due to their low cost,the abundance of Na,and the potential to deliver high energy and power simultaneously.This article demonstrates a template-assisted method to induce graphitic nanodomains and micro-mesopores into nitrogen-doped carbons.This study elucidates that these graphitic nanodomains are beneficial for Na+storage.The obtained N-doped carbon(As8Mg)electrode achieved a reversible capacity of 254 mA h g^(-1)at 0.1 A g^(-1).Moreover,the As8Mg-based SIC device achieves high combinations of power/energy densities(53 W kg^(-1)at 224 Wh kg^(-1)and 10410 W kg^(-1)at 51 Wh kg^(-1))with outstanding cycle stability(99.7%retention over 600 cycles at 0.2 A g^(-1)).Our findings provide insights into optimizing carbon’s microstructure to boost sodium storage in the pseudocapacitive mode.

Preparation of lithium-ion battery anode materials from graphitized spent carbon cathode derived from aluminum electrolysis

Graphitized spent carbon cathode(SCC)is a hazardous solid waste generated in the aluminum electrolysis process.In this study,a flotation-acid leaching process is proposed for the purification of graphitized SCC,and the use of the purified SCC as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries is explored.The flotation and acid leaching processes were separately optimized through one-way experiments.The maximum SCC carbon content(93wt%)was achieved at a 90%proportion of−200-mesh flotation particle size,a slurry concentration of 10wt%,a rotation speed of 1600 r/min,and an inflatable capacity of 0.2 m^(3)/h(referred to as FSCC).In the subsequent acid leaching process,the SCC carbon content reached 99.58wt%at a leaching concentration of 5 mol/L,a leaching time of 100 min,a leaching temperature of 85°C,and an HCl/FSCC volume ratio of 5:1.The purified graphitized SCC(referred to as FSCC-CL)was utilized as an anode material,and it exhibited an initial capacity of 348.2 mAh/g at 0.1 C and a reversible capacity of 347.8 mAh/g after 100 cycles.Moreover,compared with commercial graphite,FSCC-CL exhibited better reversibility and cycle stability.Thus,purified SCC is an important candidate for anode material,and the flotation-acid leaching purification method is suitable for the resourceful recycling of SCC.

Low-temperature graphitization of lignin via Co-assisted electrolysis in molten salt

The ever-growing energy demand and environmental issues have stimulated the development of sustainable energy technologies.Herein,an efficient and environmentally friendly electrochemical transformation technology was proposed to prepare highly graphitized carbon materials from an abundant natural resource-lignin (LG).The preparation process mainly includes pyrolytic carbonization of raw LG material and electrochemical conversion of amorphous carbon precursor.Interestingly,with the assistance of Co catalyst,the graphitization degree of the products was significantly improved,in which the mechanism was the removal of heteroatoms in LG and the rearrangement of carbon atoms into graphite lattice.Furthermore,tunable microstructures (nanoflakes) under catalytic effects could also be observed by controlling the electrolytic parameters.Compared with the products CN1 (without catalyst) and CN5 (with 10%catalyst),the specific surface area are 158.957 and 202.246 m^(2)g^(-1),respectively.When used as the electrode material for lithium-ion batteries,CN5 delivered a competitive specific capacity of~350 m Ah g^(-1)(0.5 C) compared with commercial graphite.The strategy proposed in this work provides an effective way to extract value-added graphite materials from lignin and can be extended to the graphitization conversion of any other amorphous carbon precursor materials.

Residual fluoride self-activated effect enabling upgraded utilization of recycled graphite anode

Recycling graphite anode from spent lithium-ion batteries(SLIBs)is regarded as a crucial approach to promoting sustainable energy storage industry.However,the recycled graphite(RG)generally presents degraded structure and performance.Herein,the residual fluoride self-activated effect is proposed for the upgraded utilization of RG.Simple and low-energy water immersion treatment not only widens the interlayer spacing,but also retains appropriate fluoride on the surface of RG.Theoretical analysis and experiments demonstrate that the residual fluoride can optimize Li~+migration and deposition kinetics,resulting in better Li~+intercalation/deintercalation in the interlayer and more stable Li metal plating/stripping on the surface of RG,As a result,the designed LFP||RG full cells achieve ultrahigh reversibility(~100%Coulombic efficiency),high capacity retention(67%after 200 cycles,0.85 N/P ratio),and commendable adaptability(stable cycling without short-circuiting,0.15 N/P ratio).The energy density is improved from 334 Wh kg^(-1)of 1.1 N/P ratio to 367 Wh kg^(-1)of 0.85 N/P ratio(total mass based on cathode and anode).The exploration of RG by residual fluoride self-activated effect achieves upgraded utilization beyond fresh commercial graphite and highlights a new strategy for efficient reuse of SLIBs.

Multiple-dimensioned defect engineering for graphite felt electrode of vanadium redox flow battery

The scarcity of wettability,insufficient active sites,and low surface area of graphite felt(GF)have long been suppressing the performance of vanadium redox flow batteries(VRFBs).Herein,an ultra-homogeneous multipledimensioned defect,including nano-scale etching and atomic-scale N,O codoping,was used to modify GF by the molten salt system.NH_(4)Cl and KClO_(3) were added simultaneously to the system to obtain porous N/O co-doped electrode(GF/ON),where KClO_(3) was used to ultra-homogeneously etch,and O-functionalize electrode,and NH4Cl was used as N dopant,respectively.GF/ON presents better electrochemical catalysis for VO_(2)+/VO_(2)+ and V3+/V2+ reactions than only O-functionalized electrodes(GF/O)and GF.The enhanced electrochemical properties are attributed to an increase in active sites,surface area,and wettability,as well as the synergistic effect of N and O,which is also supported by the density functional theory calculations.Further,the cell using GF/ON shows higher discharge capacity,energy efficiency,and stability for cycling performance than the pristine cell at 140 mA cm^(−2) for 200 cycles.Moreover,the energy efficiency of the modified cell is increased by 9.7% from 55.2% for the pristine cell at 260 mA cm^(−2).Such an ultra-homogeneous etching with N and O co-doping through“boiling”molten salt medium provides an effective and practical application potential way to prepare superior electrodes for VRFB.

Upcycling the spent graphite/LiCoO_(2) batteries for high-voltage graphite/LiCoPO_(4)-co-workable dual-ion batteries

The worldwide proliferation of portable electronics has resulted in a dramatic increase in the number of spent lithium-ion batteries(LIBs).However,traditional recycling methods still have limitations because of such huge amounts of spent LIBs.Therefore,we proposed an ecofriendly and sustainable double recycling strategy to concurrently reuse the cathode(LiCoO_(2))and anode(graphite)materials of spent LIBs and recycled LiCoPO_(4)/graphite(RLCPG)in Li^(+)/PF^(-)_(6) co-de/intercalation dual-ion batteries.The recycle-derived dualion batteries of Li/RLCPG show impressive electrochemical performance,with an appropriate discharge capacity of 86.2 mAh·g^(-1) at25 mA·g^(-1) and 69%capacity retention after 400 cycles.Dual recycling of the cathode and anode from spent LIBs avoids wastage of resources and yields cathode materials with excellent performance,thereby offering an ecofriendly and sustainable way to design novel secondary batteries.

Thermal fatigue and wear of compacted graphite iron brake discs with various thermomechanical properties

The increase in payload capacity of trucks has heightened the demand for cost-effective yet high performance brake discs.In this work,the thermal fatigue and wear of compacted graphite iron brake discs were investigated,aiming to provide an experimental foundation for achieving a balance between their thermal and mechanical properties.Compacted graphite iron brake discs with different tensile strengths,macrohardnesses,specific heat capacities and thermal diffusion coefficients were produced by changing the proportion and strength of ferrite.The peak temperature,pressure load and friction coefficient of compacted graphite iron brake discs were analyzed through inertia friction tests.The morphology of thermal cracks and 3D profiles of the worn surfaces were also discussed.It is found that the thermal fatigue of compacted graphite iron discs is determined by their thermal properties.A compacted graphite iron with the highest specific heat capacity and thermal diffusion coefficient exhibits optimal thermal fatigue resistance.Oxidization of the matrix at low temperatures significantly weakens the function of alloy strengthening in hindering the propagation of thermal cracks.Despite the reduced hardness,increasing the ferrite proportion can mitigate wear loss resulting from low disc temperatures and the absence of abrasive wear.

Spent graphite regeneration:Exploring diverse repairing manners with impurities-catalyzing effect towards high performance and low energy consumption

Spent battery recycling has received considerable attention because of its economic and environmental potential.A large amount of retired graphite has been produced as the main electrode material,accompanied by a detailed exploration of the repair mechanism.However,they still suffer from unclear repair mechanisms and physicochemical evolution.In this study,spent graphite was repaired employing three methodologies:pickling-sintering,pyrogenic-recovery,and high-temperature sintering.Owing to the catalytic effect of the metal-based impurities and temperature control,the as-obtained samples displayed an ordered transformation,including the interlayer distance,crystalline degree,and grain size.As anodes of lithium ions batteries,the capacity of repaired samples reached up to 310 mA h g^(-1)above after 300loops at 1.0 C,similar to that of commercial graphite.Meanwhile,benefitting from the effective assembly of carbon atoms in internal structure of graphite at>1400℃,their initial coulombic efficiency were>87%.Even at 2.0 C,the capacity of samples remained approximately 244 mA h g^(-1)after 500 cycles.Detailed electrochemical and kinetic analyses revealed that a low temperature enhanced the isotropy,thereby enhancing the rate properties.Further,economic and environmental analyses revealed that the revenue obtained through suitable pyrogenic-recovering manners was approximately the largest value(5500$t^(-1)).Thus,this study is expected to clarify the in-depth effect of different repair methods on the traits of graphite,while offering all-round evaluations of repaired graphite.

MOF-derived porous graphitic carbon with optimized plateau capacity and rate capability for high performance lithium-ion capacitors

The development of anode materials with high rate capability and long charge-discharge plateau is the key to improve per-formance of lithium-ion capacitors(LICs).Herein,the porous graphitic carbon(PGC-1300)derived from a new triply interpenetrated co-balt metal-organic framework(Co-MOF)was prepared through the facile and robust carbonization at 1300°C and washing by HCl solu-tion.The as-prepared PGC-1300 featured an optimized graphitization degree and porous framework,which not only contributes to high plateau capacity(105.0 mAh·g^(−1)below 0.2 V at 0.05 A·g^(−1)),but also supplies more convenient pathways for ions and increases the rate capability(128.5 mAh·g^(−1)at 3.2 A·g^(−1)).According to the kinetics analyses,it can be found that diffusion regulated surface induced capa-citive process and Li-ions intercalation process are coexisted for lithium-ion storage.Additionally,LIC PGC-1300//AC constructed with pre-lithiated PGC-1300 anode and activated carbon(AC)cathode exhibited an increased energy density of 102.8 Wh·kg^(−1),a power dens-ity of 6017.1 W·kg^(−1),together with the excellent cyclic stability(91.6%retention after 10000 cycles at 1.0 A·g^(−1)).

Recent Advances in Interface Modification of Cu/graphite Composites and Layered Ternary Carbides of Modified Layer Candidate

We review the fundamental properties and significant issues related to Cu/graphite composites.In particular,recent research on the interfacial modification of Cu/graphite composites is addressed,including the metal-modified layer,carbide-modified layer,and combined modified layer.Additionally,we propose the use of ternary layered carbide as an interface modification layer for Cu/graphite composites.

Effect of FeSi additive in dual-chamber sample cup on thermal analysis characteristic values and vermiculating rate of compacted graphite iron

Thermal analysis plays a key role in the online inspection of molten iron quality.Different solidification process of molten iron can be reflected by thermal analysis curves,and silicon is one of important elements affecting the solidification of molten iron.In this study,FeSi75 was added in one chamber of the dual-chamber sample cup,and the influences of FeSi75 additive on the characteristic values of thermal analysis curves and vermiculating rate were investigated.The results show that with the increase of FeSi75,the start temperature of austenite formation TALfirstly decreases and then increases,but the start temperature of eutectic growth TSEF,the lowest eutectic temperature TEU,temperature at maximum eutectic reaction rate TEM,and highest eutectic temperature TERkeep always an increase.The temperature at final solidification point TEShas little change.The FeSi75 additive has different influences on the vermiculating rate of molten iron with different vermiculation,and the vermiculating rate increases for lower vermiculation molten iron while decreases for higher one.According to the thermal analysis curves obtained by a dual-chamber sample cup with 0.30wt.%FeSi75 additive in one chamber,the vermiculating rate of molten iron can be evaluated by comparing the characteristic values of these curves.The time differenceΔtERcorresponding to the highest eutectic temperature TERhas a closer relationship with the vermiculating rate,and a parabolic regression curve between the time differenceΔtERand vermiculating rateηhas been obtained within the range of 65%to 95%,which is suitable for the qualified melt.

Highly Thermally Conductive and Structurally Ultra‑Stable Graphitic Films with Seamless Heterointerfaces for Extreme Thermal Management

Highly thermally conductive graphitic film(GF)materials have become a competitive solution for the thermal management of high-power electronic devices.However,their catastrophic structural failure under extreme alternating thermal/cold shock poses a significant challenge to reliability and safety.Here,we present the first investigation into the structural failure mechanism of GF during cyclic liquid nitrogen shocks(LNS),which reveals a bubbling process characterized by“permeation-diffusion-deformation”phenomenon.To overcome this long-standing structural weakness,a novel metal-nanoarmor strategy is proposed to construct a Cu-modified graphitic film(GF@Cu)with seamless heterointerface.This well-designed interface ensures superior structural stability for GF@Cu after hundreds of LNS cycles from 77 to 300 K.Moreover,GF@Cu maintains high thermal conductivity up to 1088 W m^(−1)K^(−1)with degradation of less than 5%even after 150 LNS cycles,superior to that of pure GF(50%degradation).Our work not only offers an opportunity to improve the robustness of graphitic films by the rational structural design but also facilitates the applications of thermally conductive carbon-based materials for future extreme thermal management in complex aerospace electronics.

Hybrid 2D/3D Graphitic Carbon Nitride-Based High-Temperature Position-Sensitive Detector

Ultraviolet position-sensitive detectors(PSDs)are expected to undergo harsh environments,such as high temperatures,for a wide variety of applications in military,civilian,and aerospace.However,no report on relevant PSDs operating at high temperatures can be found up to now.Herein,we design a new 2D/3D graphitic carbon nitride(g-C_(3)N_(4))/gallium nitride(GaN)hybrid heterojunction to construct the ultraviolet high-temperature-resistant PSD.The g-C_(3)N_(4)/GaN PSD exhibits a high position sensitivity of 355 mV mm^(-1),a rise/fall response time of 1.7/2.3 ms,and a nonlinearity of 0.5%at room temperature.The ultralow formation energy of-0.917 eV atom^(-1)has been obtained via the thermodynamic phase stability calculations,which endows g-C_(3)N_(4)with robust stability against heat.By merits of the strong built-in electric field of the 2D/3D hybrid heterojunction and robust thermo-stability of g-C_(3)N_(4),the g-C_(3)N_(4)/GaN PSD delivers an excellent position sensitivity and angle detection nonlinearity of 315 mV mm^(-1)and 1.4%,respectively,with high repeatability at a high temperature up to 700 K,outperforming most of the other counterparts and even commercial silicon-based devices.This work unveils the high-temperature PSD,and pioneers a new path to constructing g-C_(3)N_(4)-based harsh-environment-tolerant optoelectronic devices.