ИСТИНА

Today lithium-ion batteries (LIB) are used in numerous applications. Such power sources have lots of advantages, such as high specific energy and energy density, high specific power, long shelf life, etc. Today the market of electric vehicles rapidly develops increasing the demand for LIBs. According to various estimates, the annual amount of LIB waste is ca. 200-500 million tons, of which 5-15% belong to cobalt - an expensive and toxic element. Due to expected even more rapid growth of LIB production the battery recycling1 and “second life” became hot topics driven by both economic and environmental factors. It is known that there are many reasons for the loss of battery capacity and power during its discharge/recharge cycling. One of the most serious and universal reasons for degradation is damaging of initial SEI (solid-electrolyte interphase) layer and its re-formation accompanied by lithium immobilization inside its structure (in the form of oxide, fluoride, carbonate and alkyl-carbonate). In our work we suggest a method of battery capacity recovery based on the removal of the SEI from the surface of the negative electrode and further replenishment of lithium inventory in the cell.