Yun Guo, Jie Huang, Jun−Kai Feng
The efficient recycling of spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) transforms waste into valuable resources, contributing to a dynamic and sustainable cycle of manufacturing, usage, and recycling within the LIBs industry. This process also mitigates harm to the ecological environment. The benefits of recycling extend across multiple dimensions, including resource conservation, economic advantages, and environmental protection. Therefore, studying the recycling technology for spent LIBs is of great significance. The hydrometallurgical process is one of the primary methods for recovering valuable metals from spent ternary LIBs, with solvent extraction playing a crucial role in this process. This work provides a detailed review of the current status of solvent extraction, focusing on the separation and recovery of valuable elements such as copper, nickel, cobalt, manganese, lithium. It elucidates the extraction reaction mechanisms of various extraction systems, as well as the advantages and disadvantages associated with industrial production. On this basis, the future development direction of solvent extraction for the separation and recovery of spent LIBs is prospected, providing valuable insights for the advancement of green and efficient new processes.