Efficient Regeneration of Waste Graphite through Vapor Deposition for High-Performance Lithium-Ion Battery Anodes

The closed-loop recycling of spent graphite (SG) anodes is an effective method to reduce resource consumption and address environmental issues. However, the still poor electrochemical performance of the regenerated graphite anode hinders its recycling. It is crucial to develop green and efficient repair strategies to achieve the upgraded recycling of waste graphite. Here, we propose an efficient vapor deposition strategy to regenerate spent graphite (SG). At 900 °C, vapor deposition and cross-linking reactions are employed to construct gradient disordered carbon structures, which repair the surface of SG and inhibit internal crystal rearrangement, thereby improving the initial coulombic efficiency (ICE) of the regenerated graphite anode, enhancing Li + transport performance, and improving cycling stability. The regenerated graphite anode (PVDC@G-1) has an ICE of 91.2% and a reversible capacity of 392.5 mAh g −1 . After 300 cycles at 1 C, the specific capacity remains as high as 334.5 mAh g −1 . This method realizes the upgraded recycling of waste graphite. This approach provides unique insights into regulating the structure of SG and repairing surface defects, offering a new method for the recycling of SG.