The ongoing surge of electric vehicle (EV) adoption forecasts an unprecedented amount of lithium-ion battery wastes in the near future. Since cathode materials have the highest economic and engineering values, it is essential to recycle and reuse the end-of-life (EOL) cathode materials. Here, we show that redox mediators can deliver lithium ions and electrons from a lithium source to the cathode, efficiently relithiate the EOL cathode materials, and make them ready for new battery production after a postheat treatment. We have found that some quinone-based redox mediators, especially 3,5-di-tert-butyl-o-benzoquinone (DTBQ), can shuttle the charges very fast between Li metal and EOL cathode. Reduction of DTBQ on lithium is evidenced by chemical changes of Li metal and DTBQ, and successful relithiation of the EOL cathode by the subsequent oxidation of DTBQ is verified by electrochemical and structural evaluations.

中文翻译：

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通过氧化还原介导实现报废锂离子电池的直接阴极回收

电动汽车 (EV) 采用的持续激增预示着在不久的将来，锂离子电池的浪费量将达到前所未有的水平。由于正极材料具有最高的经济和工程价值，因此必须回收和再利用报废 (EOL) 的正极材料。在这里，我们展示了氧化还原介质可以将锂离子和电子从锂源传递到阴极，有效地重新锂化 EOL 阴极材料，并使其在后热处理后为新电池的生产做好准备。我们已经发现，一些醌氧化还原调解员，特别是3,5-二叔丁基- Ø-苯醌（DTBQ），可以在锂金属和 EOL 正极之间非常快速地穿梭。锂金属和 DTBQ 的化学变化证明了锂上 DTBQ 的还原，电化学和结构评估证实了通过 DTBQ 的后续氧化成功地重新锂化了 EOL 正极。