Research on extraction of valuable metals from solid waste by deep eutectic solvents - A review

Traditional metal recycling methods urgently need improvement due to high energy consumption and environmental pollution issues. Against this backdrop, developing a reusable, novel green solvent from eco-friendly raw materials through simple preparation methods has become crucial. Deep eutectic solvents (DES) are considered an ideal alternative to traditional organic solvents due to their tunable polarity, low toxicity, environmental friendliness, and ease of synthesis. DES can effectively extract metals from complex waste systems through selective dissolution and formation of metal complexes, especially in recovering valuable metals such as lithium, nickel, and cobalt from waste lithium batteries and other waste materials. Its structural design allows DES to efficiently and accurately recover target metals, showcasing broad application potential in solid waste recycling.