With the development of the new energy industry, the number of scrapped lithium batteries has surged, and the copper powder obtained from recycling is a high-value renewable resource. This type of copper powder is derived from the copper foil of the negative electrode of lithium batteries. After recycling processes, it still maintains high purity and has the advantages of low cost and environmental friendliness, with applications covering multiple key fields.
The core applications focus on four major fields: first, recycling in the new energy industry. It can be smelted and rolled into copper foil for reuse in lithium battery production, and can also be made into conductive paste to optimize battery performance; second, electronic and electrical manufacturing. It is used to produce conductive circuits of printed circuit boards (PCBs) and electronic connectors. Ultra-fine copper powder can also be made into porous materials for precision electronic components; third, metallurgy and machinery manufacturing. It serves as an alloy raw material to produce brass, bronze, etc., or can be made into complex mechanical parts and auto parts through powder metallurgy; fourth, the chemical industry and new materials field. After treatment, it can be used as a catalyst for chemical reactions, and can also be used to prepare copper-based composite materials, conductive inks, thermal conductive coatings, etc.
It should be noted that to give full play to its value, it is necessary to optimize recycling processes and control the quality of copper powder. In general, the recycled copper powder from lithium batteries has both economic value and environmental significance. It can alleviate the pressure of primary copper ore mining and promote the development of a circular economy.
