Direct Reuse of Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries as an Efficient Heterogeneous Catalyst for the Reductive Upgrading of Biomass-Derived Furfural

"Black mass", namely, the mixture of anodic and cathodic materials arising from mechanical shredding of spent Li-ion batteries (LIBs), can be easily converted into an efficient heterogeneous catalyst for selective reductions. Here, we demonstrate a concept showing how LIBs, after appropriate thermal treatments, can be directly used as catalysts for the selective hydrogenation of biobased furfural and other biomass-derived aldehydes and ketones. Yet, the approach is general and can be applied to a variety of substrates under widely different conditions. The production of the new catalyst involves a simple calcination of the e-waste material followed by reduction with H2 at 500 °C. Complete conversion of furfural into furfuryl alcohol is achieved after 90 min at 120 °C under 10 bar H2 in 2-propanol. High furfural conversion can also be obtained under transfer hydrogenation conditions by using 2-propanol as a solvent/H-donor. The study opens the route to the use and recycle of spent LIBs as valued raw materials of precious catalytic materials suitable for use in fine chemical production.