Examining the Feasibility of Manganese Oxide Sorbents for Cobalt and Nickel Recovery
Session Number
Project ID: ENVR 02
Advisor(s)
Jean-Francois Gaillard, Northwestern University
Discipline
Environmental Science
Start Date
17-4-2024 8:35 AM
End Date
17-4-2024 8:50 AM
Abstract
Technological advancements in batteries and electric cars have increased global demand for critical metals like cobalt and nickel. These metals are essential to these emerging technologies’ functions; however, the majority of these technologies are disposed of with minimal effort to reuse or recycle their components. These metals are also subject to unstable supply chains and problematic mining processes, and so being able to reclaim critical metals from waste products is paramount to maintain this vital resource. One method of metal recovery is adsorption, which involves the attachment of metal ions onto the surface of a solid material. Our project examines the use of manganese oxide nanomaterials distributed on a cellulosic substrate to combine these features. Metal ions naturally form surface complexes with manganese oxides, and the cellulosic material provides a high surface area for the nanomaterial to cover. Our project aims to understand, and will present results about, adsorption capacity, kinetics, and reusability of manganese oxide sorbents for cobalt and nickel recovery.
Examining the Feasibility of Manganese Oxide Sorbents for Cobalt and Nickel Recovery
Technological advancements in batteries and electric cars have increased global demand for critical metals like cobalt and nickel. These metals are essential to these emerging technologies’ functions; however, the majority of these technologies are disposed of with minimal effort to reuse or recycle their components. These metals are also subject to unstable supply chains and problematic mining processes, and so being able to reclaim critical metals from waste products is paramount to maintain this vital resource. One method of metal recovery is adsorption, which involves the attachment of metal ions onto the surface of a solid material. Our project examines the use of manganese oxide nanomaterials distributed on a cellulosic substrate to combine these features. Metal ions naturally form surface complexes with manganese oxides, and the cellulosic material provides a high surface area for the nanomaterial to cover. Our project aims to understand, and will present results about, adsorption capacity, kinetics, and reusability of manganese oxide sorbents for cobalt and nickel recovery.