Recovery of Graphite from Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries for Use in Conductive Ink Preparation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62239/jca.2026.006Abstract
This study presents a cost-effective and environmentally friendly approach for recovering graphite from spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and reusing it as a precursor for the preparation of flexible conductive inks. Graphite was recovered from the anode through a mechanical separation process, followed by chemical purification using 1 M HCl to remove residual metal ions (Li, Co, Ni), and subsequent thermal treatment at 1000 °C in an inert atmosphere to eliminate organic binders (PVDF) and partially restore the defective crystalline structure caused by charge/discharge cycling. The purified graphite exhibited a high carbon purity (> 93.4 %) and was used to formulate conductive inks with poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) as the polymer binder and carbon black (CB) as a conductivity enhancer. The optimal ink composition was determined using the Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The optimized ink showed good electrical conductivity (surface resistance ≈ 415 Ω/cm) and excellent mechanical flexibility, maintaining stable conductivity under a bending radius of 0.5 cm. These results provide a sustainable solution for waste battery management and contribute to the advancement of low-cost printed electronics technology.Downloads
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