Effect of mechanical force on dissociation characteristics of cathode materials in spent lithium-ion batteries

With the rapid growth of the demand for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), the treatment challenges of spent LIBs continue to increase. The dissociation characteristics of the electrode materials by impact crushing and shear crushing were studied. The liberation characteristics of each size particles and over crushing rule of aluminum (Al) foil were analyzed. The results show that both shear crushing and impact crushing can achieve effective liberation of electrode materials. The rapid liberation of cathode material can be achieved by shear crushing in 5 s, the particle size of the shear crushed products is mainly concentrated in + 2 mm and − 0.074 mm, and the degree of liberation increases to 69.29% at 40 s. Meanwhile, the liberation caused by impact crushing mainly occurs within 5–20 s, the liberation degree increases sharply from 1.36% to 49.51%, and final liberation degree can reach 62.68% with 40 s crushing. In addition, the over crushing of Al foil is inevitable in impact crushing and shear crushing, and the Al content of − 0.074 mm crushing products of shear crushing and impact crushing fluctuates within 2.4%− 3.5%. This study provides a feasible technical approach for the safe and environmentally friendly dissociation of electrode materials in spent LIBs.