Extraction of tetrahedral CuCl anode from the waste copper etchant and surface modification with graphene quantum dots

In this article, CuCl crystal was extracted from the waste copper etchant via one-step facile electrodeposition and further modified with graphene quantum dots (GQDs) via the electrophoretic deposition. Moreover, the feasibility as the anode in lithium ion battery was also evaluated. As expected, the obtained CuCl crystal particles appeared as the tetrahedron-like morphology, and the surface became rougher after modification of GQDs via the electrophoretic deposition. The reversible specific discharge capacity of GQDs/CuCl/Cu anode was 345.0 mAh·g−1 at 2.0 C for 250 cycles, higher than 284.6 mAh·g−1 of bare CuCl anode possibly owed to higher electric conductivity and Li-storage activity of GQDs. Obviously, such efforts would alleviate the environmental pollution and facilitate the circular economy of the waste copper etchant.