Can Vitrification Become a Strategy for Managing Li-Ion Battery Components? Evaluating Glass Fabrication Using Cathode-Active Material NCM622 and Phosphorus Pentoxide

Finding innovative ways for the management of nickel-rich cathode materials from lithium-ion batteries is evermore necessary, given their increasing demand for electric vehicles and devices. In this context, this work explores for the first time the concept of vitrification as a strategy to manage Li(Ni0.6Co0.2Mn0.2)O2 (NCM622) as cathode-active material using phosphorus pentoxide as the glass forming reagent. The raw materials were mixed in various proportions guided by xNCM622-(100 – x)P2O5 with x = 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 mol % nominal compositions and melted at 1150 °C in an ambient atmosphere. The materials formed were subsequently characterized by density, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and optical transmission measurements. The XRD data supported glass formation in the compositional range explored, wherein the densities tended to increase within 2.744–2.938 g/cm3 with NCM622 content. The FT-IR spectra displayed the typical IR-active vibrational modes characterizing the linked PO4 tetrahedra composing the noncrystalline structures. The data additionally indicated that the glass network tended to be depolymerized as the NCM622 concentration increased. Further, DSC demonstrated that the glass transition temperatures increased steadily from 425 to 481 °C while the glass stability decreased. The optical measurements showed that overall decreased transmittance ensued in connection with the presence of the transition metals, suggesting a potential for developing optical bandpass filters. The preliminary work carried out stimulates further research concerning the potential of vitrification for the management or upcycling of lithium battery components.