Recycling of graphite anode from retired lithium-ion batteries to cathode of high-performance lithium-oxygen batteries

Recycling and reusing the graphite anodes from retired lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) can remarkably contribute to balancing the supply and demand contradiction in the graphite resource market, it can also reduce the environmental damage, caused by solid waste of batteries. Against this backdrop, we have prepared expanded graphite (EG) with a foaming structure from the spent graphite anode of LIBs, using a universal chemical insertion process combined with annealing to make it an ideal cathode for lithium-oxygen (Li-O2) batteries. The continuous foaming structure of EG offers abundant reaction sites and ample room for the deposition of discharge products. Moreover, efficient mass transfer in the battery reaction is ensured by using an interconnected "spongy" structure. As a result, when introduced as a cathode in the Li-O2 battery, the as-prepared EG delivers a serious excellent battery performance, this performance includes a high specific capacity of 11,375 mA h g-1 and an impressively cycle performance of 447 cycles with a capacity of 600 mA h g-1 under a current density of 200 mA g-1. This strategy allows the high value-added reuse of spent LIBs graphite anodes to the high-performance Li-O2 batteries cathode, effectively preventing resource waste and environmental pollution.