Electrical Pulsed Discharge Achieves Efficient Delamination of LFP Cathodes Without Heat or Chemicals
Researchers have developed a method using electrical pulsed discharge to separate lithium iron phosphate cathodes from aluminum foil, eliminating the need for heat, water, or chemicals, and preserving material integrity for direct recycling.
Researchers have developed a method using electrical pulsed discharge to separate lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathodes from aluminum foil without the use of heat, water, or chemicals. This technique applies energy inputs of 0.56–0.59 J mg–1 to achieve over 98% delamination efficiency. The process relies on Joule heating and thermal stress to induce interfacial failure, effectively separating the cathode material from the foil. Importantly, the recovered LFP powders exhibit no aluminum contamination and maintain their original crystallinity, enabling direct recycling. Electrodes fabricated with 10 wt.% of the recovered LFP deliver 148 mAh g–1 at 0.1 C without increased impedance, demonstrating the viability of this method for sustainable battery recycling.