Recycling lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is imperative for securing the future demand for raw materials required for the electrification of economies worldwide. The technical challenges of recycling at a large scale involve minimizing the value loss of materials, addressing the complexity of standardization, and reducing environmental impacts. This research aims to support the development of more...

Many of the issues associated with recycling devices containing small but significant amounts of technology critical metals, arise from the choice of materials and, most importantly, the joining methods for different materials. In many cases, recycling could be simplified and made more efficient by employing design for recycle principles which consider the requirements for separation....

This study compares the anodic dissolution of two iron-based alloys, mild steel and an FeNdB super magnet, with that of a mineral, chalcopyrite (CuFeS2), in a deep eutectic solvent formed from choline chloride and ethylene glycol under silent and ultrasonic conditions. These three materials have different granular morphologies and heterogeneities. The aim was to show...

High water content type IV-deep eutectic solvents (DES) formed from calcium chloride hexahydrate and ethylene glycol (CaCl2⋅6H2O:EG) were investigated for the deposition and co-deposition of Fe, Nd and FeNd. Cyclic voltammetry demonstrated the feasibility of electrodepositing of Fe, Nd and FeNd, despite the DES containing ca. 21.3 mol kg‒1 water. Diffusion coefficients for the soluble...

This study demonstrates a rapid and facile method for separating the central membrane and catalyst-coated material from production scrap fuel cell catalyst-coated membranes (CCMs), facilitating a circular economy of technologically critical metals. A novel approach is presented using high-intensity ultrasonication with two distinct sonotrode configurations for rapid delamination at ambient temperature in water. This technique...

In the following article we review the discussion presented in a plenary session of the Interfinish 2024 World Congress of the International Union for Surface Finishing (IUSF, Kowloon, Hong Kong). Here we describe some aspects of electrochemical materials finishing with a focus on sustainable manufacturing and on the dissolution and recovery of critical technology metals...