Targeted microstructural repair of lithium-ion battery cathodes via direct regeneration

With the rapid growth of the battery industry, sustainable development has become an increasingly important concern. In this context, recycling battery materials to enable closed-loop supply chains have received widespread attention, largely because of mounting pressure from resource depletion and environmental pollution. Compared with conventional metallurgical routes, direct cathode regeneration has emerged as a more attractive strategy owing to its higher energy efficiency and economic potential. In this review, we systematically categorize the major regeneration approaches reported so far, including relithiation, cation and anion regulation, and related strategies, with particular attention to their underlying mechanisms. We also discuss the main technical challenges that still limit practical implementation, such as disordered phase removal, lithium compensation, and interfacial reconstruction. In addition, the current barriers to industrialization are briefly outlined. Finally, we highlight the growing role of artificial intelligence in accelerating the design, screening, and optimization of regeneration processes, and discuss its potential to support more efficient and scalable battery recycling.