Magnetic Separation Coupled with Low-Temperature Pyrolysis for Efficient Purification of Cathode Materials from Spent LiFePO 4 Batteries

The recycling of spent lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries is of growing importance for both environmental and economic sustainability. However, achieving high-purity and efficient separation of cathode materials from aluminum (Al) foil remains a major challenge during pretreatment. Herein, we report a scalable and energy-efficient strategy that integrates dry magnetic separationleveraging the intrinsic magnetism of LiFePO4with low-temperature pyrolysis. This combined process enables effective detachment of LiFePO4 from Al foil at 400 °C, achieving a recovery rate of 97.20% and a purity of 99.10%. The regenerated LiFePO4 delivers a high discharge specific capacity of 155.00 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C. This integrated, low-energy, and environmentally benign route provides a practical and scalable pathway for the efficient recovery and regeneration of cathode materials from spent LiFePO4 batteries.