MetRecycle

“Recycling of metals using functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (FMNP)”

The MetRecycle project contributes to the Strategic Implementation Plan of the European Innovation partnership on the recycling of raw materials, dealing with the novel strategic approach using advanced nanotechnology to achieve selective, efficient recycling process of REE’s, with the focus on the Heavy (HREE) REE’s. REEs are key components of green energy and high-tech growth industries and they are imported into the European Union (EU) from a very limited number of producers. Until recently, China has been almost the sole supplier of REEs to the rest of the world. Tensions are particularly likely for five REEs (Neodymium, Europium, Terbium, Dysprosium and Yttrium) for which demand is expected to grow by up to 30%. The current level of recycling (urban mining) is still very limited (< 1%).


The MetRecycle project uses the advantage of specific properties of REE’s for higher recycling efficiency and selectivity. MetRecycle project is focused to the development of functionalized magnetic nanoparticles as a novel approach for REE’s recycling from aqueous solutions (waste waters) after pre-processing technology. Functional magnetic nanoparticles are easy to remove from aqueous solution by using external magnetic field to be recycled. The final stage of the project is scale up of novel functionalized magnetic nanoparticles to test, verify in practice. MetRecycle is furthermore strengthening collaboration between high-tech SME’s and research organisations, addressing also action for citizen awareness. Expected results will cover the field of research and development of novel adsorbent nanomaterials for recycling of REE metal ions in order to improve REE selectivity and recycling rate, to achieve sustainable growth, increase in collection rates of e-wastes, greater social demand for more sustainable society, forcing industries to reuse waste as a feedstock, governmental legislation/changes to existing laws by providing incentives for recycling.


The EU industry is being pressed to consider alternative raw materials (RM) for the future, for at least three reasons: a) the scarcity of resources obliges the search for new ways to optimise the use of available ones; b) the price of resources puts a noticeable pressure on the economy; c) there is need for sustainable materials, so as to alleviate the pressure on current resources. EU report on ‘Critical Raw Materials’ highlighted concerns over securing reliable, sustainable and undistorted access to non-energy RM, and the detrimental impact on the wider EU economy to which supply issues may lead. They defined 20 critical RM, in addition, greater detail is provided for the rare earth elements (REE) by splitting them into ‘heavy’ (HREE) (Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Er, Y) and ‘light’ (LREE) categories (La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm). REE are key components of green energy and high-tech growth industries and they are imported into the EU from a very limited number of producers. Until recently, China has been almost the sole supplier of REE to the world. Demand for REE is high and steadily growing, since more and more e-products include REE (wind turbine 350 kg; electric vehicle (EV) up to 30 kg, etc).

Description

REE are used for their specific properties which make them difficult to replace. Tensions are particularly likely for Nd, Eu, Tb, Dy, Y for which demand is expected to grow by up to 30%. At this stage, recycling REE, becomes economically interesting and REE used in electronic waste (WE), provides a secondary supply. Recycling REE is still at an early stage. Les than 1% of REE currently enter the recycling loop, partially because consumer education and awareness is lacking, but mainly because practical and economically-feasible means of recycling REE have yet to be developed. We have to make it clear to consumers that each WE has an important value through recycling options. This needs to be supported by providing convenient collection methods and better information/education of society. A number of different EV utilize e-motors and batteries, both of which contain critical REE. Nickel metal hybrid (NiMH) batteries containing La (65 %), Ce (25 %), Pr (3 – 8 %), Nd (1 – 8 %) are of current choice for EV manufacturers4, while many e-motors in EV use high-powered NdFeB (Nd 25%, Dy 4 %, Pr 1 %, Fe 69 %, B 1 %) and SmCo (Sm 29.7 %, Co 46.3 %, Fe 14.9 %, Cu 7.5 %, Zr 1.3 %) permanent magnets, containing about 32 % of REE5. At present no commercial operation has been identified for recycling the NdFeB permanent magnets and the recovery of the associated REE content. Most of them are still at various R&D stages.

The main objective of the project will be therefore oriented at recycling of outdated WE products, specifically permanent NdFeB and SmCo magnets as well as NiMH batteries, to achieve a REE rich output stream as precondition for an efficient recovery of precious REE. It is essential to develop effective and ecologically uncontested recycling system, including concerted collection, pre-treatment and refining processes for an utmost efficient specific and selective recovery of these REE by novel adsorbent nanomaterials (ANM) containing precisely selected functional ligands (SH, NH2, COOH, etc.) with a tendency to remove REE (Nd, Eu, Pr, Dy, Y, La, Ce) from leachate solution.

In this way it is possible to recover 0.8 – 3.5 kg of REE from permanent magnets, while the yield is not so high for NiMH batteries. Expected results will cover the field of R&D of ANMs for recycling of REE in order to improve REE selectivity and recycling rate, to achieve sustainable growth, increase in collection rates of WE, greater social demand for more sustainable society, forcing industries to reuse waste as a feedstock, governmental legislation changes to existing laws by providing incentives for recycling. Significant cost savings can be also achieved, if these REE can be reintroduced into the manufacturer’s supply chain by saving primary resources.

Plan and activities

Work Package

Duration

Project partners

Start month

End month

IOS

SLU

INS-UNSAM

ICGM

SiKEMIA

WP1

Pre-treatment process and recovery of REE

1

18

1.1 Recognition of target WEE for recycling

1

3

1.2 Identification on target REE

1

3

1.3 WEEE sorting and collecting

4

12

1.4 Pre-treatment and recycling approaches

4

18

WP2

Synthesis of adsorbent Nanomaterials (ANMs)

7

30

2.1 Superparamagnetic iron oxide based ANMs

7

30

2.2 Mesoporous NMs

7

30

2.3 Development of coupling agents

7

30

2.4 Characterization of ANMs

7

30

WP3

Recycling of rare-earth metals (REMs)

10

33

3.1 Adsorption/Desorption of REEs using ANMs

10

33

3.2 Evaluation of adsorption characteristics

13

33

WP4

Scale-up production of ANMs

13

34

4.1 Scaling-up the production of ANMs

13

34

4.2 Characterization of ANMs

13

34

4.3 Specifying of technology risks

19

34

WP5

Nanosafety

10

36

5.1 Toxicology and eco-toxicology studies

10

32

5.2 Cytotoxicity in vivo in zebrafish

13

33

5.3 Pharmacokinet. and biodistrib. of NPs

16

34

WP6

LCA/LCCA

13

36

6.1 LCA analysis

13

34

6.2 LCC analysis

16

35

6.3 Def. and evalua. of business scenarios

19

36

WP7

Exploitation and Dissemination

4

36

7.1 Project web-page and leaflets

4

36

7.2 Scientific journals

13

36

7.3 On-line media

7

36

7.4 Webinars and workshop

12

36

7.5 Intellectual property

31

36

WP8

Project Management

1

36

8.1 Work coordination, meetings communication

1

36

8.2 Overall legal and contractual management

1

36

8.3 Financial and Administrative Management

1

36

8.4 Communication and Report

1

36

8.5 Research data management

1

36

Abbreviations

IOS – Institute for Environmental Protection and Sensors

SLU – Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet Molecular Sciences

INS-UNSAM – Instituto de Nanosistemas-UNSAM Nanoarchitecture

ICGM – CNRS Institut Charles Gerhardt de Montpellier – UMR5253 Université de Montpellier

Gantt

WP’s circle

WP’s cross section

The project »MetRecycle« is supported by ERA-NET Cofound on Raw Materials (ERA-MIN 2) under Horizon 2020.