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Zhang G, Li Y, Zhao C, Gu J, Zhou G, Shi Y, Zhou Q, Xiao F, Fu WJ, Chen Q, Ji Q, Qu J, Liu H. Redox-neutral electrochemical decontamination of hypersaline wastewater with high technology readiness level. NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY 2024; 19:1130-1140. [PMID: 38724611 DOI: 10.1038/s41565-024-01669-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/18/2024]
Abstract
Industrial hypersaline wastewaters contain diverse pollutants that harm the environment. Recovering clean water, alkali and acid from these wastewaters can promote circular economy and environmental protection. However, current electrochemical and advanced oxidation processes, which rely on hydroxyl radicals to degrade organic compounds, are inefficient and energy intensive. Here we report a flow-through redox-neutral electrochemical reactor (FRER) that effectively removes organic contaminants from hypersaline wastewaters via the chlorination-dehalogenation-hydroxylation route involving radical-radical cross-coupling. Bench-scale experiments demonstrate that the FRER achieves over 75% removal of total organic carbon across various compounds, and it maintains decontamination performance for over 360 h and continuously treats real hypersaline wastewaters for two months without corrosion. Integrating the FRER with electrodialysis reduces operating costs by 63.3% and CO2 emissions by 82.6% when compared with traditional multi-effect evaporation-crystallization techniques, placing our system at technology readiness levels of 7-8. The desalinated water, high-purity NaOH (>95%) and acid produced offset industrial production activities and thus support global sustainable development objectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gong Zhang
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yongqi Li
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- School of Hydraulic and Hydropower Engineering, North China Electric Power University, Beijing, China
| | - Chenxuan Zhao
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance, State Key Laboratory of Precision Spectroscopy, School of Physics and Electronic Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiabao Gu
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Gang Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yanfeng Shi
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Qi Zhou
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Feng Xiao
- School of Hydraulic and Hydropower Engineering, North China Electric Power University, Beijing, China
| | - Wen-Jie Fu
- College of Environment and Resources, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, China
| | - Qingbai Chen
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Qinghua Ji
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Jiuhui Qu
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Huijuan Liu
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
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2
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Xia D, Lee C, Charpentier NM, Deng Y, Yan Q, Gabriel JP. Drivers and Pathways for the Recovery of Critical Metals from Waste-Printed Circuit Boards. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2309635. [PMID: 38837685 PMCID: PMC11321694 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202309635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
The ever-increasing importance of critical metals (CMs) in modern society underscores their resource security and circularity. Waste-printed circuit boards (WPCBs) are particularly attractive reservoirs of CMs due to their gamut CM embedding and ubiquitous presence. However, the recovery of most CMs is out of reach from current metal-centric recycling industries, resulting in a flood loss of refined CMs. Here, 41 types of such spent CMs are identified. To deliver a higher level of CM sustainability, this work provides an insightful overview of paradigm-shifting pathways for CM recovery from WPCBs that have been developed in recent years. As a crucial starting entropy-decreasing step, various strategies of metal enrichment are compared, and the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) and hyperspectral sensing is highlighted. Then, tailored metal recycling schemes are presented for the platinum group, rare earth, and refractory metals, with emphasis on greener metallurgical methods contributing to transforming CMs into marketable products. In addition, due to the vital nexus of CMs between the environment and energy sectors, the upcycling of CMs into electro-/photo-chemical catalysts for green fuel synthesis is proposed to extend the recycling chain. Finally, the challenges and outlook on this all-round upgrading of WPCB recycling are outlined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Xia
- SCARCE LaboratoryEnergy Research Institute @ NTUNanyang Technological UniversitySingapore639798Singapore
| | - Carmen Lee
- SCARCE LaboratoryEnergy Research Institute @ NTUNanyang Technological UniversitySingapore639798Singapore
- School of Material Science and EngineeringNanyang Technological UniversitySingapore639798Singapore
| | - Nicolas M. Charpentier
- SCARCE LaboratoryEnergy Research Institute @ NTUNanyang Technological UniversitySingapore639798Singapore
- Université Paris‐SaclayCEACNRSNIMBELICSENGif‐sur‐Yvette91191France
| | - Yuemin Deng
- Université Paris‐SaclayCEACNRSNIMBELICSENGif‐sur‐Yvette91191France
- Ecologic France15 Avenue du CentreGuyancour78280France
| | - Qingyu Yan
- SCARCE LaboratoryEnergy Research Institute @ NTUNanyang Technological UniversitySingapore639798Singapore
- School of Material Science and EngineeringNanyang Technological UniversitySingapore639798Singapore
| | - Jean‐Christophe P. Gabriel
- SCARCE LaboratoryEnergy Research Institute @ NTUNanyang Technological UniversitySingapore639798Singapore
- Université Paris‐SaclayCEACNRSNIMBELICSENGif‐sur‐Yvette91191France
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3
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Zhuang S, Duan N, Xu F. Synergistic strategy of solute environment and phase control of Pb-based anodes to solve the activity-stability trade-off. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 470:134119. [PMID: 38579581 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
The contradiction between the activity and stability of metal anodes exists extensively, especially in acid electrooxidation under industrial-level current density. Although the anode modification enhanced the initial activity of anodes, its long-term activity is limited by anode slime accumulation. Herein, a synergistic strategy, coupling the solute environment with the phase control of anodes, is proposed to achieve the trade-off between activity and stability of Pb-based anodes in concentrated sulfuric acid electrolysis. Non-exogenous Mn2+ motivated a series of positive behaviours of reactive-oxygen-species capture, anode reconstruction and corrosion-dependent activity alleviation. The synergistic effects, which are crystal phase-dependent, mainly benefit from the continuous self-healing ability of the specific crystal phase of MnO2 on the anodes by the coexisted Mn2+. Compared with Mn2+/α-MnO2, Mn2+/γ-MnO2 exhibited outperformed activity and stability in boosting oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and reducing hazardous pollutants, which resulted from the energy difference in the rate-determining step of OER and in the selectivity priority of Mn2+/MnO2 oxidation pathway. Interestingly, the pre-coated γ-MnO2 on the anode also presents excellent inheritance, guaranteeing the unchanged crystal phase of MnO2 and the high performance in ultra-low hazardous slime generation in subsequent Mn2+ oxidation. The sustainability of Mn2+/γ-MnO2 was proved in the operating hydrometallurgy conditions on Pb-based anodes. This strategy offers a promising approach for this common issue in electrooxidation-related areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siwei Zhuang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Ning Duan
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, China.
| | - Fuyuan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, China.
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4
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Gu K, Tokoro C, Takaya Y, Zhou J, Qin W, Han J. Resource recovery and regeneration strategies for spent lithium-ion batteries: Toward sustainable high-value cathode materials. WASTE MANAGEMENT (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2024; 179:120-129. [PMID: 38471250 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2024.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Traditional cathode recycling methods have become outdated amid growing concerns for high-value output and environmental friendliness in spent Li-ion battery (LIB) recycling. Our study presents a closed-loop approach that involves selective sulfurization roasting, water leaching, and regeneration, efficiently transforming spent ternary Li batteries (i.e., NCM) into high-performance cathode materials. By combining experimental investigations with density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we elucidate the mechanisms within the NCM-C-S roasting system, providing a theoretical foundation for selective sulfidation. Utilizing in situ X-ray diffraction techniques and a series of consecutive experiments, the study meticulously tracks the evolution of regenerating cathode materials that use transition metal sulfides as their primary raw materials. The Li-rich regenerated NCM exhibits exceptional electrochemical performance, including long-term cycling, high-rate capabilities, reversibility, and stability. The closed-loop approach highlights the sustainability and environmental friendliness of this recycling process, with potential applications in other cathode materials, such as LiCoO2 and LiMn2O4. Compared with traditional methods, this short process approach avoids the complexity of leaching, solvent extraction, and reverse extraction, significantly increasing metal utilization and Li recovery rates while reducing pollution and resource waste.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kunhong Gu
- School of Minerals Processing & Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China; Department of Systems Innovation, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Chiharu Tokoro
- Department of Systems Innovation, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan; Faculty of Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan
| | - Yutaro Takaya
- Department of Systems Innovation, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan; Faculty of Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan
| | - Jiang Zhou
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
| | - Wenqing Qin
- School of Minerals Processing & Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
| | - Junwei Han
- School of Minerals Processing & Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China.
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5
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Zhang C, Yang Y, Liu X, Mao M, Li K, Li Q, Zhang G, Wang C. Mobile energy storage technologies for boosting carbon neutrality. Innovation (N Y) 2023; 4:100518. [PMID: 37841885 PMCID: PMC10568306 DOI: 10.1016/j.xinn.2023.100518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Carbon neutrality calls for renewable energies, and the efficient use of renewable energies requires energy storage mediums that enable the storage of excess energy and reuse after spatiotemporal reallocation. Compared with traditional energy storage technologies, mobile energy storage technologies have the merits of low cost and high energy conversion efficiency, can be flexibly located, and cover a large range from miniature to large systems and from high energy density to high power density, although most of them still face challenges or technical bottlenecks. In this review, we provide an overview of the opportunities and challenges of these emerging energy storage technologies (including rechargeable batteries, fuel cells, and electrochemical and dielectric capacitors). Innovative materials, strategies, and technologies are highlighted. Finally, the future directions are envisioned. We hope this review will advance the development of mobile energy storage technologies and boost carbon neutrality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenyang Zhang
- School of Integrated Circuits, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics (WNLO), Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Ying Yang
- School of Integrated Circuits, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics (WNLO), Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Xuan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Material Processing and Die & Mould Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Minglei Mao
- School of Integrated Circuits, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics (WNLO), Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Kanghua Li
- School of Integrated Circuits, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics (WNLO), Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Qing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Material Processing and Die & Mould Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Guangzu Zhang
- School of Integrated Circuits, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics (WNLO), Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Chengliang Wang
- School of Integrated Circuits, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics (WNLO), Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
- Wenzhou Advanced Manufacturing Institute, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wenzhou 325035, China
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6
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Gu K, Gao X, Chen Y, Qin W, Han J. Closed-loop recycling of spent lithium-ion batteries based on selective sulfidation: An unconventional approach. WASTE MANAGEMENT (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2023; 169:32-42. [PMID: 37393754 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2023.06.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
The facile recycling of spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has attracted considerable attention because of its great importance to environmental protection and resource utilization. A novel process is developed for cyclic utilization of spent LiNixCoyMnzO2 (NCM) batteries. The spent NCM was converted into water-soluble Li2CO3, acid-dissolved MnO, and nickel-cobalt sulfides through selective sulfidation, based on roasting condition optimization and thermodynamic calculation. More than 98 % of lithium is extracted preferentially from calcined NCM through water leaching, and over 99 % of manganese is extracted selectively from water leaching residue with H2SO4 solution of 0.4 mol/L in the absence of additional reductant. The nickel and cobalt sulfides were concentrated into the leaching residue without metal impurities. The obtained Li2CO3, MnSO4, and nickel-cobalt sulfides can be regenerated as new NCM, showing good electrochemical performance, and its discharge capacity is 169.8 mAh/g at 0.2C. After 100 cycles at 0.2C, the discharge specific capacity can still be maintained at 143.24 mAh/g, and its capacity retention ratio is as high as 92 %. An environmental assessment and economic evaluation indicate that the process is an economical and eco-friendly approach for green recycling of spent LIBs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kunhong Gu
- School of Minerals Processing & Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
| | - Xuesong Gao
- School of Minerals Processing & Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
| | - Yuxin Chen
- School of Minerals Processing & Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
| | - Wenqing Qin
- School of Minerals Processing & Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
| | - Junwei Han
- School of Minerals Processing & Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China.
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7
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Yu J, Li J, Zhang S, Wei F, Liu Y, Li J. Mechanochemical upcycling of spent LiCoO 2 to new LiNi 0.80Co 0.15Al 0.05O 2 battery: An atom economy strategy. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2217698120. [PMID: 36996111 PMCID: PMC10083615 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2217698120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of strong acids and low atom efficiency in conventional hydrometallurgical recycling of spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) results in significant secondary wastes and CO2 emissions. Herein, we utilize the waste metal current collectors in spent LIBs to promote atom economy and reduce chemicals consumption in a conversion process of spent Li1-xCoO2 (LCO) → new LiNi0.80Co0.15Al0.05O2 (NCA) cathode. Mechanochemical activation is employed to achieve moderate valence reduction of transition metal oxides (Co3+→Co2+,3+) and efficient oxidation of current collector fragments (Al0→Al3+, Cu0→Cu1+,2+), and then due to stored internal energy from ball-milling, the leaching rates of Li, Co, Al, and Cu in the ≤4 mm crushed products uniformly approach 100% with just weak acetic acid. Instead of corrosive precipitation reagents, larger Al fragments (≥4 mm) are used to control the oxidation/reduction potential (ORP) in the aqueous leachate and induce the targeted removal of impurity ions (Cu, Fe). After the upcycling of NCA precursor solution to NCA cathode powders, we demonstrate excellent electrochemical performance of the regenerated NCA cathode and improved environmental impact. Through life cycle assessments, the profit margin of this green upcycling path reaches about 18%, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 45%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiadong Yu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing100084, China
| | - Ju Li
- Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
| | - Shang Zhang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing100084, China
| | - Fan Wei
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing100084, China
| | - Yanjun Liu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing100084, China
| | - Jinhui Li
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing100084, China
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8
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Sun Q, Chen J, Zhao Z, Yang D, Xiao Y, Zhang H, Ma X, Zhong H, Zeng H. Tailored pH-triggered surfactant for stepwise separation of a three-component mineral system. Sep Purif Technol 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2023.123753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2023]
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9
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Abstract
Production of metals stands for 40% of all industrial greenhouse gas emissions, 10% of the global energy consumption, 3.2 billion tonnes of minerals mined, and several billion tonnes of by-products every year. Therefore, metals must become more sustainable. A circular economy model does not work, because market demand exceeds the available scrap currently by about two-thirds. Even under optimal conditions, at least one-third of the metals will also in the future come from primary production, creating huge emissions. Although the influence of metals on global warming has been discussed with respect to mitigation strategies and socio-economic factors, the fundamental materials science to make the metallurgical sector more sustainable has been less addressed. This may be attributed to the fact that the field of sustainable metals describes a global challenge, but not yet a homogeneous research field. However, the sheer magnitude of this challenge and its huge environmental effects, caused by more than 2 billion tonnes of metals produced every year, make its sustainability an essential research topic not only from a technological point of view but also from a basic materials research perspective. Therefore, this paper aims to identify and discuss the most pressing scientific bottleneck questions and key mechanisms, considering metal synthesis from primary (minerals), secondary (scrap), and tertiary (re-mined) sources as well as the energy-intensive downstream processing. Focus is placed on materials science aspects, particularly on those that help reduce CO2 emissions, and less on process engineering or economy. The paper does not describe the devastating influence of metal-related greenhouse gas emissions on climate, but scientific approaches how to solve this problem, through research that can render metallurgy fossil-free. The content is considering only direct measures to metallurgical sustainability (production) and not indirect measures that materials leverage through their properties (strength, weight, longevity, functionality).
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Affiliation(s)
- Dierk Raabe
- Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung, Max-Planck-Str. 1, 40237 Düsseldorf, Germany
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10
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Zhou F, Xiao Y, Guo M, Wang S, Qiu R, Morel JL, Simonnot MO, Zhang WX, Zhang W, Tang YT. Insights into the Selective Transformation of Ceria Sulfation and Iron/Manganese Mineralization for Enhancing the Selective Recovery of Rare Earth Elements. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:3357-3368. [PMID: 36790364 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c08395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
To cope with the urgent and unprecedented demands for rare earth elements (REEs) in sophisticated industries, increased attention has been paid to REE recovery from recycled streams. However, the similar geochemical behaviors of REEs and transition metals often result in poor separation performance due to nonselectivity. Here, a unique approach based on the selective transformation between ceria sulfation and iron/manganese mineralization was proposed, leading to the enhancement of the selective separation of REEs. The mechanism of the selective transformation of minerals could be ascribed to the distinct geochemical and metallurgical properties of ions, resulting in different combinations of cations and anions. According to hard-soft acid-base (HSAB) theory, the strong Lewis acid of Ce(III) was inclined to combine with the hard base of sulfates (SO42-), while the borderline acid of Fe(II)/Mn(II) prefers to interact with oxygen ions (O2-). Both in situ characterization and density functional theory (DFT) calculation further revealed that such selective transformation might trigger by the generation of an oxygen vacancy on the surface of CeO2, leading to the formation of Ce2(SO4)3 and Fe/Mn spinel. Although the electron density difference of the configurations (CeO2-x-SO4, Fe2O3-x-SO4, and MnO2-x-SO4) shared a similar direction of the electron transfer from the metals to the sulfate-based oxygen, the higher electron depletion of Ce (QCe = -1.91 e) than Fe (QFe = -1.66 e) and Mn (QMn = -1.64 e) indicated the higher stability in the Ce-O-S complex, resulting in the larger adsorption energy of CeO2-x-SO4 (-6.88 eV) compared with Fe2O3-x-SO4 (-3.10 eV) and MnO2-x-SO4 (-2.49 eV). This research provided new insights into the selective transformation of REEs and transition metals in pyrometallurgy and thus offered a new approach for the selective recovery of REEs from secondary resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengping Zhou
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Remediation Technology, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil Remediation, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
| | - Ye Xiao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Remediation Technology, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil Remediation, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, P. R. China
| | - Meina Guo
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Remediation Technology, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil Remediation, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
| | - Shizhong Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Remediation Technology, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil Remediation, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, P. R. China
| | - Rongliang Qiu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Remediation Technology, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil Remediation, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, P. R. China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural & Rural Pollution Abatement and Environmental Safety, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, P. R. China
| | | | | | - Wei-Xian Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural & Rural Pollution Abatement and Environmental Safety, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory for Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, P. R. China
| | - Weihua Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Remediation Technology, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil Remediation, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
- Shenzhen Research Institute, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518057, P. R. China
| | - Ye-Tao Tang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Remediation Technology, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil Remediation, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, P. R. China
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Ma J, Shi T, Li Y, Yang B, Tian Y, Xu B, Yang H, Chen X, Chen C. Selective sulfidation-vacuum volatilization processes for tellurium and bismuth recovery from bismuth telluride waste thermoelectric material. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 327:116845. [PMID: 36455445 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2022] [Revised: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Bismuth telluride-based alloy materials are currently the best performing thermoelectric materials at near room temperature; however, their production and use generate waste (e.g., cutting waste and failed grains). There is also lack of efficient recycling strategies for the generated waste. In this study, a selective sulfidation-vacuum volatilization method is proposed for recovering bismuth telluride waste. The Gibbs free energies of the sulfidation reaction of bismuth telluride are calculated, the saturated vapor pressure of each substance is analyzed, and the composition of the products is predicted. Based on the differences among the sulfidation and volatile properties of bismuth and tellurium, by adding sulfur to bismuth telluride waste, the composition of the substances was regulated, and efficient separation of tellurium and bismuth was achieved. We combined theoretical calculations and experimental studies to investigate the effect of process conditions on the separation and recovery of tellurium and bismuth. The results show that bismuth was thoroughly sulfereted and tellurium was a pure metal when the mass ratio of sulfur to bismuth telluride was 0.168, the sulfidation temperature was 573 K, and the holding time was 60 min. After sulfidation of the bismuth telluride waste, the sulfides were telluride and bismuthous sulfide. The sulfides, that resulted from sulfureted bismuth telluride production, were treated via vacuum volatilization. The optimal vacuum volatilization condition was 873 K for 120 min. The purities of tellurium and bismuth sulfide obtained by the selective sulfidation-vacuum volatilization experiment were >99%. The distribution ratios of tellurium and bismuth were 98.46% and 99.59%, respectively. The method thoroughly separated tellurium and bismuth from bismuth telluride waste, considerably reducing the environmental and economic costs compared with those of the conventional processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinping Ma
- National Engineering Research Center of Vacuum Metallurgy, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650093, PR China; Faculty of Metallurgical and Energy Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650093, PR China
| | - Tongtang Shi
- Nickel Smelter, Jinchuan Group Co., Ltd., Gansu, 737104, PR China
| | - Yifu Li
- National Engineering Research Center of Vacuum Metallurgy, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650093, PR China; Faculty of Metallurgical and Energy Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650093, PR China.
| | - Bin Yang
- National Engineering Research Center of Vacuum Metallurgy, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650093, PR China; Faculty of Metallurgical and Energy Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650093, PR China; The State Key Laboratory of Complex Non-ferrous Metal Resources Clean Utilization, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650093, PR China
| | - Yang Tian
- National Engineering Research Center of Vacuum Metallurgy, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650093, PR China; Faculty of Metallurgical and Energy Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650093, PR China; The State Key Laboratory of Complex Non-ferrous Metal Resources Clean Utilization, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650093, PR China
| | - Baoqiang Xu
- National Engineering Research Center of Vacuum Metallurgy, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650093, PR China; Faculty of Metallurgical and Energy Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650093, PR China; The State Key Laboratory of Complex Non-ferrous Metal Resources Clean Utilization, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650093, PR China
| | - Hongwei Yang
- National Engineering Research Center of Vacuum Metallurgy, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650093, PR China; Faculty of Metallurgical and Energy Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650093, PR China
| | - Xiumin Chen
- National Engineering Research Center of Vacuum Metallurgy, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650093, PR China; Faculty of Metallurgical and Energy Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650093, PR China
| | - Changming Chen
- National Engineering Research Center of Vacuum Metallurgy, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650093, PR China; Faculty of Metallurgical and Energy Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650093, PR China
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Electro-desulfurization of metal sulfides in molten salts. Sep Purif Technol 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2023.123109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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13
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Yao G, Guo Q, Li Y, Song J, Liu Y, He M, Qi T. Growth mechanism of metal iron particles with sulfur additives in direct reduction: First-principles calculations and experiments. POWDER TECHNOL 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.powtec.2023.118287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
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14
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Zagorac J, Zagorac D, Šrot V, Ranđelović M, Pejić M, van Aken PA, Matović B, Schön JC. Synthesis, Characterization, and Electronic Properties of ZnO/ZnS Core/Shell Nanostructures Investigated Using a Multidisciplinary Approach. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 16:326. [PMID: 36614664 PMCID: PMC9822113 DOI: 10.3390/ma16010326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
ZnO/ZnS core/shell nanostructures, which are studied for diverse possible applications, ranging from semiconductors, photovoltaics, and light-emitting diodes (LED), to solar cells, infrared detectors, and thermoelectrics, were synthesized and characterized by XRD, HR-(S)TEM, and analytical TEM (EDX and EELS). Moreover, band-gap measurements of the ZnO/ZnS core/shell nanostructures have been performed using UV/Vis DRS. The experimental results were combined with theoretical modeling of ZnO/ZnS (hetero)structures and band structure calculations for ZnO/ZnS systems, yielding more insights into the properties of the nanoparticles. The ab initio calculations were performed using hybrid PBE0 and HSE06 functionals. The synthesized and characterized ZnO/ZnS core/shell materials show a unique three-phase composition, where the ZnO phase is dominant in the core region and, interestingly, the auxiliary ZnS compound occurs in two phases as wurtzite and sphalerite in the shell region. Moreover, theoretical ab initio calculations show advanced semiconducting properties and possible band-gap tuning in such ZnO/ZnS structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelena Zagorac
- Materials Science Laboratory, “Vinča” Institute of Nuclear Sciences—National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
- Centre of Excellence “Cextreme Lab”, Materials Science Laboratory, “Vinča” Institute of Nuclear Sciences—National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Dejan Zagorac
- Materials Science Laboratory, “Vinča” Institute of Nuclear Sciences—National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
- Centre of Excellence “Cextreme Lab”, Materials Science Laboratory, “Vinča” Institute of Nuclear Sciences—National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Vesna Šrot
- Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Stuttgart Center for Electron Microscopy, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Marjan Ranđelović
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Niš, 18000 Niš, Serbia
| | - Milan Pejić
- Materials Science Laboratory, “Vinča” Institute of Nuclear Sciences—National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
- Centre of Excellence “Cextreme Lab”, Materials Science Laboratory, “Vinča” Institute of Nuclear Sciences—National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Peter A. van Aken
- Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Stuttgart Center for Electron Microscopy, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Branko Matović
- Materials Science Laboratory, “Vinča” Institute of Nuclear Sciences—National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
- Centre of Excellence “Cextreme Lab”, Materials Science Laboratory, “Vinča” Institute of Nuclear Sciences—National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - J. Christian Schön
- Nanoscale Science Department, Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
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15
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Selective recovery of lanthanum from magnesium-containing solution via phosphoric acid modified kaolin prepared by a simple mechanochemical process. ARAB J CHEM 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.arabjc.2022.104498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
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16
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Guo Y, Li X, Zhao Z, Qu J, Ma Q, Wang D, Yin H. The electrochemical reduction process of converting solid sulfides to liquid metals in molten salt: A case study of ZnS. J Electroanal Chem (Lausanne) 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jelechem.2022.116801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
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17
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Abstract
Traditional sulfide metallurgy produces harmful sulfur dioxide and is energy intensive. To this end, we develop an anode electrolysis approach in molten salt by which sulfide is electrochemically split into sulfur gas at a graphite inert anode while releasing metal ions that diffuse toward and are deposited at the cathode. The anodic splitting dictates the "sulfide-to-metal ion and sulfur gas" conversion that makes the reaction recur continuously. Using this approach, Cu2S is converted to sulfur gas and Cu in molten LiCl-KCl at 500 °C with a current efficiency of 99% and energy consumption of 0.420 kWh/kg-Cu (only considering the electricity for electrolysis). Besides Cu2S, the anode electrolysis can extract Cu from Cu matte that is an intermediate product from the traditional sulfide smelting process. More broadly, Fe, Ni, Pb, and Sb are extracted from FeS, CuFeS2, NiS, PbS, and Sb2S3, providing a general electrochemical method for sulfide metallurgy.
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Stetson C, Prodius D, Lee H, Orme C, White B, Rollins H, Ginosar D, Nlebedim IC, Wilson AD. Solvent-driven fractional crystallization for atom-efficient separation of metal salts from permanent magnet leachates. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3789. [PMID: 35778388 PMCID: PMC9249736 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31499-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
This work reports a dimethyl ether-driven fractional crystallization process for separating rare earth elements and transition metals. The process has been successfully applied in the treatment of rare earth element-bearing permanent magnet leachates as an atom-efficient, reagent-free separation method. Using ~5 bar pressure, the solvent was dissolved into the aqueous system to displace the contained metal salts as solid precipitates. Treatments at distinct temperatures ranging from 20-31 °C enable crystallization of either lanthanide-rich or transition metal-rich products, with single-stage solute recovery of up to 95.9% and a separation factor as high as 704. Separation factors increase with solution purity, suggesting feasibility for eco-friendly solution treatments in series and parallel to purify aqueous material streams. Staged treatments are demonstrated as capable of further improving the separation factor and purity of crystallized products. Upon completion of a crystallization, the solvent can be recovered with high efficiency at ambient pressure. This separation process involves low energy and reagent requirements and does not contribute to waste generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caleb Stetson
- Critical Materials Institute, Idaho National Laboratory, 1955 N Fremont Ave, Idaho Falls, ID, 83415, USA
| | - Denis Prodius
- Critical Materials Institute, Ames Laboratory, US Department of Energy, Ames, IA, 50011-3020, USA
| | - Hyeonseok Lee
- Critical Materials Institute, Idaho National Laboratory, 1955 N Fremont Ave, Idaho Falls, ID, 83415, USA
| | - Christopher Orme
- Critical Materials Institute, Idaho National Laboratory, 1955 N Fremont Ave, Idaho Falls, ID, 83415, USA
| | - Byron White
- Critical Materials Institute, Idaho National Laboratory, 1955 N Fremont Ave, Idaho Falls, ID, 83415, USA
| | - Harry Rollins
- Critical Materials Institute, Idaho National Laboratory, 1955 N Fremont Ave, Idaho Falls, ID, 83415, USA
| | - Daniel Ginosar
- Critical Materials Institute, Idaho National Laboratory, 1955 N Fremont Ave, Idaho Falls, ID, 83415, USA
| | - Ikenna C Nlebedim
- Critical Materials Institute, Ames Laboratory, US Department of Energy, Ames, IA, 50011-3020, USA
| | - Aaron D Wilson
- Critical Materials Institute, Idaho National Laboratory, 1955 N Fremont Ave, Idaho Falls, ID, 83415, USA.
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