This poster presents an efficient method for the direct recycling of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathodes using aqueous delamination. The research investigates how this recycling approach influences the cathode material by submerging the electrodes in water at 80°C. This procedure enables rapid delamination within seconds without the need for mechanical energy input, providing a swift and practical way to recover active cathode materials from LFP production scrap.

Comprehensive analytical characterization was conducted to objectively assess the effects of the aqueous delamination process. Particle size analysis through laser diffraction revealed a measurable increase in particle size and polydispersity following water exposure. Thermogravimetric analysis coupled with mass spectrometry additionally identified the formation of minor surface species, due to slight lithium leaching. Importantly, structural integrity analyses via X-ray diffraction confirmed that the crystalline structure of the cathode material remained largely unaffected by the aqueous delamination.

Subsequent tests demonstrated the effective reuse of the recovered cathode materials in new battery cells, which exhibited promising electrochemical performance. Additionally, the study introduced an innovative frequency-dependent rheological approach to accurately evaluate binder compositions in recyclate slurries. This novel assessment ensures that recycled slurry formulations match original binder properties, facilitating optimized reimplementation in battery production and enabling precise adjustments of binder content when needed.

Overall, the aqueous delamination technique described in this study offers a rapid, straightforward, and environmentally sustainable solution for recycling battery cathode materials, significantly advancing sustainable battery manufacturing practices.