Advanced Value Recovery

Improving Recovery of Recyclable Materials

The CloseWEEE project is what the world needs right now. It combines research and innovation to improve recycling solutions. Recently, they came up with new microwave treatment tech specifically for lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries that are discarded. As part of the process, these batteries are placed through pre-treatment where they are discharged. They also go through mechanical processing before they are transferred into a microwave furnace where they are heated rapidly.

As a result, the electrolytes evaporate. This process produces electrolyte-free material that will then be subject to hydrometallurgical treatment. This step is where metals such as cobalt, graphite, manganese, and lithium are extracted.

Recovering critical raw materials (CRMs) is a crucial step in the recycling process as these extracted substances will be used to create new products. The precious metals that are extracted can be used to create a variety of goods, including high-tech devices. But in general, materials that are recovered from battery recycling can be used by other industries aside from the battery industry. The steel industry, for example, can benefit from these recycled materials. On the other hand, it will still depend on the quality of the substances extracted.

CRMs may also be used to produce solar panels, energy-efficient lighting, wind turbines and more. That makes recycling e-waste even more beneficial to the environment. By improving recovery solutions for these precious materials, we can also help other programs that are doing their part to save the planet.

CloseWEEE is in its final year, but it is not, in any way, slowing down. They’ve come up with integrated solutions designed for the pre-processing of EEE, which is an advanced recovery technique for CRMs such as graphite and antimony. Moreover, the CloseWEEE project played a crucial role in the creation of a compound that’s high in quality and is very suitable for applications in new EEE. It is a specific kind of plastic polymer, and it is often used in 3D printing.