A hydrogen bond-driven strategy with ultrasound assistance for ultrafast and efficient recovery of PVDF nanoplastic from polymer solid electrolytes of all-solid lithium-ion batteries

Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) based polymer solid electrolytes are crucial plastic components in all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries (ASLIBs). However, the large-scale application of PVDF-based solid electrolytes without proper treatment will cause persistent environmental contamination and resource waste, thus highlighting an urgent need for effective recovery strategies. Herein, we firstly propose a hydrogen bond-driven strategy with ultrasonic assistance for ultrafast and eco-friendly recovery of PVDF nanoplastic from polymer solid electrolytes of ASLIBs. Utilizing the proposed hydrogen bond-driven strategy, a maximum F leaching efficiency of 98.2% from PVDF nanoplastic can be attained within a short timeframe and under mild conditions using eco-friendly solvents. Compared with traditional methods, ultrasonic treatment exhibits a significantly improved leaching efficiency of approximately 88%. This ultrafast recovery and notable enhancement can be attributed to the breakdown of C–F bonds in PVDF, which is realized by regulating hydrogen bond networks in green solvents combined with ultrasonic treatment. This study presents a novel strategy for the green, rapid and significantly enhanced recovery of PVDF nanoplastic from spent polymer solid electrolytes of ASLIBs.