Process Scale-Up of an Energy-Efficient Membrane Solvent Extraction Process for Rare Earth Recycling from Electronic Wastes

Syed Z. Islam; Priyesh Wagh; James Eli Jenkins; Christopher Zarzana; Mac Foster; Ramesh Bhave

doi:10.1002/adem.202200390

Process Scale-Up of an Energy-Efficient Membrane Solvent Extraction Process for Rare Earth Recycling from Electronic Wastes

Syed Z. Islam, Priyesh Wagh, James Eli Jenkins, Christopher Zarzana, Mac Foster, Ramesh Bhave

Soft Materials and Membranes

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study reports the process scale-up and long-term performance of an energy-efficient and cost-effective membrane solvent extraction (MSX) process for separation and recovery of high purity rare earth oxides (REOs) from scrap permanent magnets (SPMs). The rare earth elements (REEs), including dysprosium, neodymium, and praseodymium, are recovered from SPMs using a neutral extractant, tetraoctyl diglycolamide (TODGA) embedded in a microporous polypropylene hollow fiber membrane module. The MSX process performance is demonstrated with bench scale module with membrane surface area of 1.4 m² to industrial scale modules with membrane surface area of up to 20 m² to enable the processing of up to 1 ton month⁻¹ of SPMs. The purity and the yield of the recovered REOs are >99.5 wt% and >95%, respectively. The average extraction rate of REOs is >10 g m⁻² hr⁻¹. A skid of MSX system is assembled with a membrane area of 40 m². The MSX skid successfully recovers REOs with a capacity of 300 kg REOs/month. Finally, it is determined that the organic phase containing the extractant maintains its performance up to 250 h. The results suggest that the MSX process is an economically viable and environmentally friendly process for separation and recovery of REOs from electronic wastes.

Original language	English
Article number	2200390
Journal	Advanced Engineering Materials
Volume	24
Issue number	12
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/adem.202200390
State	Published - Dec 2022

Funding

S.Z.I. and P.W. contributed equally to this work. This research/work was supported by the cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) between the Momentum Technologies Inc., and U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Advanced Manufacturing Office, Office of Technology Commercialization. The authors thank Preston Bryant and Rob Miles of Momentum Technologies for supporting the project and providing the scrap permanent magnet samples. The authors acknowledge the extensive support in experimental activities provided by Lawrence E. Powell and Dale Adcock. This article has been authored by UT Battelle LLC under Contract No. DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the U.S. Department of Energy. The Department of Energy will provide public access to these results of federally sponsored research in accordance with the DOE Public Access Plan (http://energy.gov/downloads/doe-public-access-plan). S.Z.I. and P.W. contributed equally to this work. This research/work was supported by the cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) between the Momentum Technologies Inc., and U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Advanced Manufacturing Office, Office of Technology Commercialization. The authors thank Preston Bryant and Rob Miles of Momentum Technologies for supporting the project and providing the scrap permanent magnet samples. The authors acknowledge the extensive support in experimental activities provided by Lawrence E. Powell and Dale Adcock. This article has been authored by UT Battelle LLC under Contract No. DE‐AC05‐00OR22725 with the U.S. Department of Energy. The Department of Energy will provide public access to these results of federally sponsored research in accordance with the DOE Public Access Plan (http://energy.gov/downloads/doe‐public‐access‐plan).

Funders	Funder number
CRADA
DOE Public Access Plan
Momentum Technologies Inc.
Office of Technology Commercialization
Rob Miles of Momentum Technologies
U.S. Department of Energy
Advanced Manufacturing Office
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
UT-Battelle	DE-AC05-00OR22725

Keywords

circular economy
membrane solvent extraction
process scale-up
rare earth separations

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1002/adem.202200390

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title = "Process Scale-Up of an Energy-Efficient Membrane Solvent Extraction Process for Rare Earth Recycling from Electronic Wastes",

abstract = "This study reports the process scale-up and long-term performance of an energy-efficient and cost-effective membrane solvent extraction (MSX) process for separation and recovery of high purity rare earth oxides (REOs) from scrap permanent magnets (SPMs). The rare earth elements (REEs), including dysprosium, neodymium, and praseodymium, are recovered from SPMs using a neutral extractant, tetraoctyl diglycolamide (TODGA) embedded in a microporous polypropylene hollow fiber membrane module. The MSX process performance is demonstrated with bench scale module with membrane surface area of 1.4 m2 to industrial scale modules with membrane surface area of up to 20 m2 to enable the processing of up to 1 ton month−1 of SPMs. The purity and the yield of the recovered REOs are >99.5 wt% and >95%, respectively. The average extraction rate of REOs is >10 g m−2 hr−1. A skid of MSX system is assembled with a membrane area of 40 m2. The MSX skid successfully recovers REOs with a capacity of 300 kg REOs/month. Finally, it is determined that the organic phase containing the extractant maintains its performance up to 250 h. The results suggest that the MSX process is an economically viable and environmentally friendly process for separation and recovery of REOs from electronic wastes.",

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AU - Foster, Mac

AU - Bhave, Ramesh

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AB - This study reports the process scale-up and long-term performance of an energy-efficient and cost-effective membrane solvent extraction (MSX) process for separation and recovery of high purity rare earth oxides (REOs) from scrap permanent magnets (SPMs). The rare earth elements (REEs), including dysprosium, neodymium, and praseodymium, are recovered from SPMs using a neutral extractant, tetraoctyl diglycolamide (TODGA) embedded in a microporous polypropylene hollow fiber membrane module. The MSX process performance is demonstrated with bench scale module with membrane surface area of 1.4 m2 to industrial scale modules with membrane surface area of up to 20 m2 to enable the processing of up to 1 ton month−1 of SPMs. The purity and the yield of the recovered REOs are >99.5 wt% and >95%, respectively. The average extraction rate of REOs is >10 g m−2 hr−1. A skid of MSX system is assembled with a membrane area of 40 m2. The MSX skid successfully recovers REOs with a capacity of 300 kg REOs/month. Finally, it is determined that the organic phase containing the extractant maintains its performance up to 250 h. The results suggest that the MSX process is an economically viable and environmentally friendly process for separation and recovery of REOs from electronic wastes.

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Process Scale-Up of an Energy-Efficient Membrane Solvent Extraction Process for Rare Earth Recycling from Electronic Wastes

Abstract

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Keywords

UN SDGs

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