Innovative Recycling Methods For Engineering Projects

After five years of work, I’m excited to finally share our new paper on a new method for upcycling titanium-based scrap material into a new useable alloy through a method we call compositional steering. This work showcases a wonderful ongoing relationship between the Office and Naval Research (ONR) and NASA JPL on technology that has dual-use for both the Navy and NASA. As we try to establish a sustainable presence in space, NASA will need technologies that can take feedstock in various forms (mostly Ti and Al, but possibly contaminated with regolith), and convert them into new alloys with useable properties. Similarly, the Navy needs to start preparing for a world where pure metals, like titanium, are scarce and new methods are needed to create unmanned submersibles from waste streams, or to perform in-theatre repairs. In this work, me and my co-authors develop a method for compositional steering and then apply it to a specific use-case of bulk metallic glass. We start with a scrap Ti alloy that was contaminated with oxygen and carbon during manufacturing and was off-composition and deemed scrap. By studying phase diagrams and the literature, we experimentally demonstrate that we can add only 25% mass of new elements strategically and convert the scrap material into a new bulk glass former that can be produced into parts up to 3 mm thick. The method we demonstrate has broad applications when coupled with machine learning and computational materials science, where unknown compositions of scrap materials can be steered towards the closest “useable” alloy with the least amount of additives. We further demonstrated our technique by taking scrap turnings of titanium, steel and aluminum from the JPL machine shop garbage cans and remelting into alloys with unique properties, such as a beta titanium alloy and a bulk metallic glass. We are looking forward to partnering with industry and the computational materials science community to start developing new methods for sustainable metallurgy by taking advantage of waste streams, like turnings or used additive manufacturing powder. My collaborators here are the incredible Punnathat Bordeenithikasem, Miguel de Brito Costa, Melanie Buziak, Thomas Freeman, and Anthony Botros, all working in the JPL metallurgy lab funded by ONR. With so much turmoil happening right now with government funding, I wanted to highlight what I consider to be a critical relationship between a national lab and a military funding organization on issues of importance to national security. These are great relationships that should be fostered. Our work was highlighted as an Editor’s Choice and will appear later in a special issue of sustainable metallurgy. We are grateful to ONR for ongoing funding in this area. https://lnkd.in/gmxeFiXT

🌱♻️ Excited to share our latest publication in #Nature, where we introduce a holistic aqueous-based recycling strategy for perovskite photovoltaics, reducing environmental impact while preserving high efficiency. This green-solvent-based recycling approach that restores nearly all essential materials—including perovskite layers, charge-transport layers, metal electrodes, and glass substrates—achieving an impressive 99% recycling efficiency. Our findings show a 96.6% reduction in resource depletion and a 68.8% reduction in human toxicity (cancer effects) compared to landfill disposal. ⚡ Beyond sustainability, this strategy lowers the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) for residential and utility-scale perovskite PV systems, helping to build a circular solar economy. This work highlights the power of international collaboration in tackling sustainability challenges at the intersection of materials science, energy, and AI. Huge thanks to Xueyu Tian and 王秉政 in our interdisciplinary team for making this possible! Read the full paper here: https://lnkd.in/gWCX-8SQ #Sustainability #SolarEnergy #PerovskitePV #Recycling #CircularEconomy #AIforSustainability

Biocycling: Using 3D imaging to transform plastic waste recycling. University of Waterloo researchers have used 3D imaging to understand the fine details of microplastics, paving the way for more effective methods of plastic waste recycling. Canada. September 05, 2024 Excerpt: In collaboration with National Research Council (NRC), researchers leveraged 3D imaging technology in addition to traditional 2D microscopy, to observe degradation of micro and nanoplastics with unprecedented detail. "Most microscope images provide a two-dimensional view, similar to a medical X-ray, which provides some information but lacks depth," said William Anderson, a professor in Waterloo’s Department of Chemical Engineering. "3D imaging is like a CT scan, offering far more detailed insights into the structure and degradation of microplastics. This level of detail has been challenging to achieve, but it's crucial for understanding what is happening at the surface of micro and nanoplastics and how degradation processes work." The research group used a novel combination of physical and biological approaches to obtain new visual data. They utilized a photocatalytic process, which treated micro and nanoplastics with UV light and a titanium oxide catalyst. The team was able to observe and analyze degradation at a microscopic level. "Using this methodology reveals not just that degradation is happening, but exactly how and where it's occurring on the surface of micro and nanoplastics, said chemical engineering professor Boxin Zhao, a University of Waterloo Endowed Chair in Nanotechnology. “This knowledge is crucial for developing more effective methods of breaking down plastics on the micro and nanoscales.” Note: Anderson and Zhao, in collaboration with researchers from the Department of Chemical Engineering and the Department of Biology at Waterloo, are developing biocycling methods where microplastics could be used as a carbon source for bacteria. The bacteria would ingest microplastics and then excrete an environmentally friendly biopolymer that could be used to create new materials like plastic bags or packaging films. This study has broader implications for Waterloo’s research team, which is now forming a multidisciplinary plastics biocycling research initiative. The collaboration underscores the importance of bringing together different fields of expertise to tackle complex environmental challenges. This research offers valuable insights that could pave the way for more effective methods of plastic waste recycling and contribute to a circular economy. Publication: IOP Science | Nanotechnology 12 July 2024 3D imaging photocatalytically degraded micro-and nanoplastics https://lnkd.in/e6P42e2a https://lnkd.in/e95Cexbr

Direct Recycling and Remanufacturing of Lithium-ion Battery Electrode Scraps with Yaocai Bai from Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Manufacturing scraps from lithium-ion battery production are a primary source of recyclable materials. This presentation explores advances in directly recycling electrode scraps using solvent-based separation processes at low temperatures, developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, while preserving the integrity of electrode-active materials. The recovered materials can be remanufactured into new electrodes, achieving performance comparable to pristine materials, and thereby supporting a sustainable and circular battery economy. https://lnkd.in/exCe_cmg #AABC