Citation: Yagang Yang, Hanqing Dong, Kai Yu, Qiushi Song, Zhiqiang Ning, Hongwei Xie. Electrochemical etching of photovoltaic micron-silicon scrap in molten KCl-LiCl for high-performance lithium-ion battery anodes[J]. Chinese Chemical Letters, ;2026, 37(4): 111492. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2025.111492 shu

Electrochemical etching of photovoltaic micron-silicon scrap in molten KCl-LiCl for high-performance lithium-ion battery anodes

Key Laboratory for Ecological Metallurgy of Multimetallic Mineral of Ministry of Education, School of Metallurgy, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China

xiehw@smm.neu.edu.cn

Received Date: 18 April 2025
Revised Date: 16 June 2025
Accepted Date: 18 June 2025
Available Online: 18 June 2025

Figures(7)

Photovoltaic micron-silicon scrap (m-Si) has attracted attention as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries due to its high purity and low cost. However, its large particle size hinders the practical application. Herein, we propose an electrochemical etching process in molten KCl-LiCl to reduce its size. A novel electrode pair was developed by combining m-Si (anode) and spent lithium iron phosphate (LFP, cathode) material from spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The m-Si was reduced from 10 µm to <5 µm at a cell voltage of 3.0 V by electrochemical etching without chlorine gas and was porous. The obtained e-Si-50 anode exhibits a high specific capacity of 1061.2 mAh/g at 2.0 A/g after 800 cycles in lithium-ion batteries. The Li₃PO₄, Fe, and carbon are derived by the electrochemical reduction of the LFP, and are efficiently separated via magnetic separation in water without acid/base treatment. This process combines the recycling of photovoltaic micro-silicon scrap and spent LIBs, providing both environmental and economic benefits.
- Photovoltaic micro-silicon scrap,
- Lithium-ion batteries anode,
- Molten salt electrochemistry,
- Lithium iron phosphate,
- Recycling
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