Activated Carbon Used in Lithium Battery Degreasing (MF Series)

Activated carbon plays a crucial role in enabling high-power Li-ion batteries. While it is well-established for energy storage applications, its integration into conceptualization remains relatively unexplored. 

Let’s delve into some aspects related to activated carbon in the context of lithium batteries:

1. Li-ion Diffusion Coefficient and Exchange Current Density:

• Different activated carbons exhibit varying properties. The ordered structure promotes the Li-ion diffusion coefficient, while electronically conductive activated carbons have low charge-transfer resistance and high exchange current density.

• Long-term capacity retention is closely tied to the degree of structural order in activated carbons.

2. Performance Improvement:

• Simulated discharge capacities from a simplified 1D full-cell model with LiMn2O4-Activated Carbon cell chemistry show significant improvement compared to reference LMO-Graphite systems at all C-rates.

• Activated carbons prove especially significant at high rates.

3. Lithium Recovery from Spent Batteries:

• Carbothermic reduction is a traditional method for selectively recovering lithium from spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) using inherent graphite as a reductant.

• However, this reduction typically occurs at temperatures higher than 650°C, and excess carbon is required for effective lithium recovery.

In summary, activated carbon contributes to both battery performance and sustainable lithium recovery.