Recycled Positive Electrode Active Material, Recycling Method Thereof, And Secondary Battery Including Same

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a recycled positive electrode active material; a recycling method thereof; and a secondary battery including same. More specifically, the present invention pertains to a recycled positive electrode active material, a recycling method thereof, and a secondary battery including same, the method being characterized by comprising: (a) a step in which a used positive electrode having a positive electrode active material layer formed on a current collector is heat-treated to thermally decompose a binder and a conductive material in the positive electrode active material layer, and thereby separate the current collector from the positive electrode active material layer and recover a positive electrode active material in the active material layer; and (b) a step in which a lithium precursor and a Co-containing coating agent are added to the recovered positive electrode active material and the resultant mixture is annealed. According to the present invention, a lithium precursor and a Co-containing coating agent are added to a positive electrode active material obtained by heat treating a used positive electrode and the resultant mixture is annealed, whereby crystal structure recovery and surface coating layer recovery are achieved along with process advantages, and thus a secondary battery having excellent initial capacity and resistance characteristics is produced. In addition, the present invention has the effect of providing a positive electrode active material recycling method that is environmentally friendly as no acid is used in the recovery and recycling process, reduces process costs as there is no need for neutralization and wastewater treatment, does not generate metal element waste as the positive electrode active material is recycled without being decomposed, eliminates the risk of toxic gases or explosions as organic solvents are not used, and in particular, greatly improves economic efficiency and productivity due to the absence of a water washing process.

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