Recovery and Repurposing of End‐of‐Life Graphitic Anodes for Green Lithium‐Ion Batteries

The surging demand for lithium‐ion batteries has underscored the urgent need for sustainable strategies to recycle and reuse graphite, a critical component of anodes. Spent graphite anodes constitute a significant proportion of battery waste. However, their direct reutilization is hindered by structural degradation, surface contamination, and the presence of complex impurities. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the degradation mechanisms of spent graphite anodes, with a focus on recovery, regeneration, and modification techniques. Conventional approaches, including hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical processes, are examined alongside emerging technologies such as flash Joule heating. Although regenerated graphite often exhibits insufficient electrochemical performance, various modification strategies, such as surface engineering, structural tuning, and hybridization with other materials, have been developed to enhance structural stability, rate capability, and energy density. The review also identifies key challenges impeding large‐scale implementation and aims to offer a holistic perspective on sustainable graphite recycling. Ultimately, this work seeks to contribute to the advancement of high‐performance and environmentally benign lithium‐ion batteries technologies.