Recycling spent lead acid batteries into aqueous zinc-ion battery material with ultra-flat voltage platforms

Lin, C. and Chen, Y. and Zhang, W. and Li, J. and Lin, Y. and Kolosov, O.V. and Huang, Z. (2022) Recycling spent lead acid batteries into aqueous zinc-ion battery material with ultra-flat voltage platforms. Ceramics International, 48 (18). pp. 25808-25815. ISSN 0272-8842

Text (PbO-Zn)
PbO_Zn.pdf - Accepted Version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs.
Download (1MB)

Abstract

The harmless disposal of lead paste in the spent lead-acid batteries (LABs) remains an enormous challenge in traditional pyrometallurgical recycling. Here, we introduced a hydrometallurgical method for the recycling of the spent LABs’ waste to obtain the β-PbO as a novel zinc ion batteries (ZIBs) active material. The obtained β-PbO exhibits ultra-flat charge/discharge voltage platforms (0.21 mV/(mAh g−1)) and stable specific capacity. During the charge/discharge, the β-PbO spontaneously triggers the formation of (ZnSO4)[Zn(OH)2]3·5H2O (ZHS) micro-sheets as a surface passivation layer. Moreover, the ex-situ X-ray spectra reveal that the reversible phase transformation occurs between PbSO4 and Pb with the assistance of ZHS by adjusting the PH value on the electrode-electrolyte interface. The synergistic two-phase-reaction mechanism generates ultra-flat voltage platforms upon the charge/discharge. This “energy-saving and environment-friendly” recycling route eliminates the major source of emission of pollution particulates/gases compared to the traditional pyrometallurgical recycling, while at the same time replacing energy-consuming and environmentally detrimental processes of synthesis of current ZIBs cathodes.