The　demand　to　remove　Co2+　ions　from　industrial　wastewater　is　escalated　due　to　the　rapid　growth　of　lithium-ion　batteries　(LIB)　as　power　storage　in　personal　electronic　devices.　Herein　we　report　a　novel　cobalt-based　draw　solute,　Co-Bet-Tf2N,　synthesized　from　lithium-ion　battery　(LIB)　wastes,　in　a　forward　osmosis　(FO)　process　to　purify　Co2+-containing　wastewater　discharged　from　the　LIB　industry.　Co-Bet-Tf2N　possesses　abundant　–NMe3+　groups　and　releases　multiple　ionic　species　in　water,　allowing　it　to　produce　a　high　osmotic　pressure　to　drive　FO　separation　efficiently;　meanwhile　its　three-dimensional　structure　prevents　the　reverse　Co-Bet-Tf2N　diffusion　in　FO　experiments.　Consequently,　a　dilute　Co-Bet-Tf2N　solution　(0.2　mol/L)　generates　a　water　flux　as　high　as　14.7　LMH　along　with　a　negligible　solute　loss　(2N　extracts　water　from　the　Co2+-containing　wastewater　more　efficiently　with　a　water　flux　232　%　and　174　%　higher　than　those　of　the　conventional　NaCl　and　MgCl2　draw　solutes,　respectively.　Particularly,　Co-Bet-Tf2N　is　easily　regenerated　via　the　[Hbet][Tf2N]-based　extraction　without　energy　input,　thus　more　practical　than　the　recycling　of　other　draw　solutes　reported　elsewhere.　This　study　not　only　demonstrates　the　superiority　of　Co-Bet-Tf2N　as　a　novel　draw　solute,　but　achieves　effective　waste　reuse　and　wastewater　reclamation.　©　2022　Elsevier　B.V.