Pyrolysis kinetic study of cathode material derived from spent lithium ion batteries (LIBs): Comparison of different models

Separating cathode material and Al foil from spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is a critical step for LIBs recycling. As compared to chemical dissolving decomposition, the pyrolysis pretreatment an alternative simple method. In this work, kinetics of were comparatively studied using various isoconversional methods, including Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (FWO), Friedman, Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose, Starink, Tang, Boswell. The thermal degradation mechanism was investigated by Coats-Redfern (CR) master-plot methods as well. thermogravimetric analysis revealed that decomposition could be divided into three stages with mass losses 1.51%, 0.787%, 0.449%, respectively. Activation energy (E?) calculated six model-free showed similar trend, gradually increasing degree conversion (?) increased 0.001 0.009, then significantly elevating. FWO method gave best fitting E? values first 12.032 24.433 kJ·mol?1 ? elevating further 43.187 kJ·mol?1. Both CR Criado indicated can explained diffusion models.Implications: rapid growth in production consumption portable electronic devices electric vehicles has resulted number LIBs. Thermal treatment offers advantages high-efficiency operation. Understanding process probing its kinetic are significant large-scale treatment. Through study, it will reactor designing optimizing practice.