Co-recycling of LiCoO2 and LiFePO4 enabled by self-redox reactions and electrochemical mediation

The recycling of spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is pivotal for advancing industrial resource sustainability and economic viability. However, conventional recovery processes face significant challenges, including excessive energy consumption, reagent overuse, and inefficiencies in material separation. Herein, a slurry electrochemical assisted method is proposed for co-recycling spent LiCoO 2 (LCO) and LiFePO 4 (LFP) enabled by their redox reactions. The redox reaction of LCO and LFP allows the leaching efficiency of Li to reach 99.4 % and Co to achieve 98.1 % at the conditions of 1 mol L −1  H 2 SO 4 and under a constant cell voltage of 3 V. Over the process, the dissolved Fe 2+ from LFP in the beginning plays a critical reduction role in destructing the stable structure of LCO. And the additional applied electricity reinforces the circulate of proton, thus enhancing the utilization rate of acid close to ∼99 %. More importantly, over 90 % of Fe 3+ is directly precipitated to FePO 4 ·2H 2 O without the precipitant additive. What's more, the relatively high solid-liquid ratio of 132.5 g L −1 simplifies the separation step and reduces process energy consumption. This study optimizes metal recovery efficiency through advanced electrochemical assisted co-leach and selective separation strategies, aiming to reconcile industrial scalability with circular economy goals.