| EPSRC Reference: |
GR/L94093/01 |
| Title: |
RECYCLING OF METALS FROM ELECTRONIC SCRAP BY LEACHING AND ELECTROWINNING |
| Principal Investigator: |
Kelsall, Professor G |
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| Department: |
Chemical Engineering |
| Organisation: |
Imperial College London |
| Scheme: |
Standard Research (Pre-FEC) |
| Starts: |
01 February 1999 |
Ends: |
31 July 2002 |
Value (£): |
210,928
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| No relevance to Underpinning Sectors |
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
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The project will develop a novel aqueous leaching and electrowinning process for recycling metals (Au, Ag, Cu, Pd, Sn, Pb etc) from the increasing volumes of electronic and similar scrap. The (Ti/RuO2) anode of an electrochemical reactor, with anolyte and catholyte divided by an anion-exchange membrane, will be used to produce chlorine for the oxidative dissolution of metals from electronic scrap in a leach reactor. The resulting aqueous eletrolyte will be fed to the electrochemical reactor's cathode, for eletro deposition of the dissolved metals, with the option of selective deposition by control of the cathode potential.The metal content of electronic scarp from industrial sources will be characterised. The leaching kinetics and electrochemical reduction kinetics of the dissolved metal ions and of the oxidant, will be determined. Sensors will be developed for solution composition and cathode current efficiency estimation, so that conditions can be controlled to maximise the consumption of oxidant in the leach reactor, thereby minimising the concentration of oxidant reaching the cathode, at which it would be reduced electrochemically. The kinetic and efficiency information will be used to design the pair of leach and electrochemical reactors, the behaviour of which will be characterised, modelled and optimised.
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.imperial.ac.uk |