A green recyclable Li3VO4-pectin electrode exhibiting pseudocapacitive effect as an advanced anode for lithium-ion battery

Battery system design and development is prioritizing environmentally friendly recycling processes to ensure a sustainable future for our planet. The reuse of active materials in Li-ion batteries is critical for this goal. Herein, we investigated the electrochemical performance of Li3VO4 (LVO) anode with pectin as a binder. Our Li-ion half-cells showed stable capacity of 230 mAh g−1 at a current density of 0.02 A g−1 after 100 cycles. In addition, we observed a novel enhanced specific capacity of 400 mAh g−1 during delithiation at a high current density of 1 A g−1, which did not occur during lithiation. This higher capacity was can be attributed to the pseudocapacitive lithium storage behavior in the LVO-pectin electrode, as identified by CV and EIS analyses. The heterostructure of LVO-pectin resulted in an interfacial surface charge that contributed to the capacity, as demonstrated by impedance spectroscopy in conjunction with the distribution of relaxation times. The utilization of pectin as an eco-friendly binder demonstrated nearly 90 % material recovery and 100 % capability for subsequent re-lithiation, indicating recyclability. Furthermore, the pseudocapacitive effect becomes increasingly dominant in regenerated LVO-pectin cells. These results exemplify a promising approach towards the development of environmentally friendly Li-ion batteries with high energy and power density.