Waste Battery Graphite ORR Catalyst via Fe-N Carbonization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for recycling waste lithium-ion battery negative electrodes focus primarily on direct reuse or hydrometallurgy, neglecting the potential of graphite as a catalytic material, which is valuable but often ends up as environmental pollution due to lack of effective recycling and utilization.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the collection, heat treatment, ball-milling with iron salts and nitrogenous organic compounds, followed by carbonization and acid treatment to produce an oxygen reduction catalyst using graphite from waste battery negative electrodes, creating a catalyst with high catalytic activity and economic benefits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If graphite from waste battery negative electrodes is directly activated and reused as graphite negative electrodes, then the recycling process is simple, but the catalytic value and economic benefits are not fully utilized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms graphite particles through controlled heat treatment at different temperature stages (first heat treatment to remove organic matter, second heat treatment for graphitization) and chemical treatment with acid solutions, changing the physical and chemical parameters of the graphite to create catalytically active sites while maintaining the core graphite structure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts waste graphite particles from battery negative electrodes, which would otherwise be environmental pollution, into valuable oxygen reduction catalysts by introducing metal nanoparticles and nitrogen-containing groups through the treatment processes, thereby transforming a harmful waste product into a beneficial catalytic material
2Quantity of substance
If conventional hydrometallurgy or pyrometallurgy methods are used to recycle waste lithium-ion batteries, then valuable metals can be recovered, but the graphite negative electrode material is neglected and causes environmental pollution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the graphite particles serve multiple functions: they act as both the base catalytic material and the carbon support for metal nanoparticles, eliminating the need for separate carbon support materials and reducing waste while achieving both metal recovery and catalyst production
3Reliability
If commercial catalysts are used for oxygen reduction, then high catalytic performance is achieved, but the cost is high and environmental pollution from catalyst production remains
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive commercial catalysts with catalysts made from waste graphite particles that would otherwise be disposed of as waste, significantly reducing material costs while maintaining catalytic performance through the introduction of metal nanoparticles and nitrogen-containing functional groups
Solution Approach 2:
The patent recovers and reuses waste graphite particles from battery negative electrodes that would normally be discarded, transforming them into functional catalysts and eliminating the need for virgin material production, thereby reducing both cost and environmental impact
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The catalyst exhibits high catalytic performance comparable to Pt/C, with initial potential of 0.85-0.90 V, half-wave potential of 0.65-0.83 V, and limiting current density of 4.52-6.42 mA/cm2, while reducing environmental pollution and offering low-cost, scalable production.
Implementation Method 1
performing heat treatment on the graphite particles
Implementation Method 2
performing heat treatment at 300-600° C. for 0.5-3 h
Implementation Method 3
ball-milling the graphite particles after heat treatment, an iron salt and a nitrogenous organic compound
Implementation Method 4
performing carbonization treatment on the catalyst precursor in an inert atmosphere to obtain a carbon-based mixture containing iron and nitrogen
Implementation Method 5
dissolving the carbon-based mixture containing iron and nitrogen in an acid solution, filtering and drying the same
Data Source
AI summary
The invention pertains to the field of catalysts. Disclosed is a method for preparing an oxygen reduction catalyst employing graphite of a negative electrode of a waste battery. The method comprises the following steps: (1) recovering graphite slag from a waste battery, then performing heat treatment on the graphite slag; (2) performing ball-milling and mixing on the treated graphite slag, an iron salt, and a nitrogenous organic compound to acquire a catalyst precursor; (3) performing carbonization treatment on the catalyst precursor in an inert gas atmosphere to acquire a carbon-based mixture comprising iron and nitrogen; and (4) dissolving the carbon-based mixture comprising iron and nitrogen in an acid solution, performing filtration and drying, performing carbonization treatment again in an inert gas atmosphere, so as to acquire an oxygen reduction catalyst employing graphite of a negative electrode of a waste battery. The invention uses graphite slag generated in a recovery process of a waste lithium ion battery as a raw material. The graphite slag is widely available, and has low costs. The invention reduces environmental pollution, and has economic benefits.