One-step mechanochemical method in preparing graphene materials from spent lithium-ion battery anode graphite for electrochemical application

Abstract The recycling of anode graphite plays a crucial role in the overall recycling process of spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). In this study an environmentally friendly and cost-effective recycling method was proposed. The spent graphite (SG) from LIBs was used to prepare graphene nanoplates (GNP) materials through a mechanochemical process without any additives. To figure out the mechanochemical mechanism within, we set the control group with pure graphite (PG). Characterization of SG and PG produced materials using XRD, Raman, XPS, IR, and BET analyses revealed the presence of oxygen-containing functional groups on the surface of SG-based GNP materials, along with a high specific surface area of 275.4 m 2 /g and pore volume of 0.568 cm 3 /g. Through an in-depth investigation of the electrochemical capacity of the GNP materials fabricated by SG, the specific capacitance per unit area of the graphite material is 10.10μF/cm 2 , revealing the intricate pore structure of GNP materials primarily contributes to the electrochemical capacity.