Research Results
Classification of aluminium scrap by LIBS and RGB/D image fusion
KU Leuven’s LCE research group (SIM² KU Leuven) has demonstrated how data fusion of LIBS spectra and color (RGB) and Depth (D) images can improve the sorting of post-consumer aluminium scrap into commercially-interesting fractions.
You Only Demanufacture Once (YODO): WEEE retrieval using unsupervised learning
The KU Leuven’s lifecycle engineering (LCE) research group (SIM² – KU Leuven) developed a method that enables robotic demanufacturing system to learn from prior demanufacturing actions performed on identical product models. The work was published in Resources, Conservation and Recycling.
The Twelve Principles of Circular Hydrometalllurgy
The SOLVOMET Group is delighted to announce the publication of its long-awaited position paper “The Twelve Principles of Circular Hydrometalllurgy” in the Journal of Sustainable Metallurgy.
Top submerged lance gas injection technology for metal production & recycling
SIM² KU Leuven researchers and their co-authors published a review on the fundamental flow physics of top-submerged lance (TSL) gas injection technology/process in Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B.
Purification of Ge(IV) in milliflow reactors
SIM2 KU Leuven researchers demonstrated that the dilution of the ionic liquid [A336][HSO4] improves the hydrodynamics and the mass-transfer performance of the purification of Ge(IV) by solvent extraction in milliflow reactors.
Disclosure of SOLVOMET’s process for converting LiCl into battery-grade LiOH·H2O
In May 2020 the SOLVOMET Group filed the patent application “Method for producing battery grade lithium hydroxide monohydrate” that became public in November 2021. The second part of the patented flowsheet is now fully disclosed in JSM.
Antimony recovery from Sb-rich slag by top blowing nitrogen in molten slag bath
SIM² KU Leuven – HiTemp researchers studied the antimony recovery from antimony-rich slag by top-blowing nitrogen into a molten slag bath. The results have been published in the Journal of Cleaner Production.
Systematic quantification of Waste Electric & Electronic Equipment plastics
The KU Leuven’s lifecycle engineering (LCE) research group (SIM² – KU Leuven) has explored a new methodology to systematically quantify the composition of WEEE plastics. The work was published in the MDPI journal Sustainability.
How green are choline chloride-ethylene glycol based deep-eutectic solvents?
SOLVOMET/SIM2 researchers have demonstrated in the journal Green Chemistry that choline chloride-ethylene glycol based deep-eutectic solvents (DESs) are not stable during high-temperature leaching processes for cobalt recovery.
Real-time classification of Al scrap with LIBS using deep/machine learning
The KU Leuven’s lifecycle engineering (LCE) research group (SIM² – KU Leuven) has explored a new methodology using Deep Learning (DL) for the classification of spectra of scrap metals. The work was published in Spectrochimica Acta Part B: Atomic Spectroscopy.
Zinc fuming kinetics in a bubble-stirred molten slag bath (for slag recycling)
SIM² KU Leuven’s HiTemp Group studied the zinc fuming kinetics in a bubble-stirred molten slag bath in view of the recovery of Zn from Zn-bearing slags. The results were published in Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B.
Battery-grade lithium chloride production by solvometallurgy
In May 2020 the SOLVOMET Group filed the patent application “Method for producing battery grade lithium hydroxide monohydrate” that became public in November 2021. The first part of the patented flowsheet is now disclosed in JSM.
Comparison of mixer-settlers and an agitated column in cobalt/nickel SX
Within the framework of the EU Horizon 2020 project NEMO, SOLVOMET/SIM2 researchers have compared the effect of mixer-settlers and agitated columns on the separation of cobalt and nickel with Cyanex 272.
Unravelling the chemistry within non-aqueous solvent extraction
SOLVOMET/SIM² researchers have published their research on the effect of polar organic solvents on the solvent extraction process for rare-earth separation. The research was performed in the framework of the H2020 project NEMO.
Characterisation of Sb-containing metallurgical residues for Sb recovery
SIM² KU Leuven’s HiTemp Group studied the characterisation of antimony-containing metallurgical residues in view of enhanced antimony recovery. The results were published in the Journal of Cleaner Production.
A new CSLM-based approach to study metallurgical slag solidification
SIM² KU Leuven’s HiTemp Group developed an innovative experimental setup to measure the electrical conductivity of slag while observing slag crystallisation. The results were published in Resources, Conservation and Recycling.
Boosting the repair & recycling options for EoL electrical consumer products
The Lifecycle Engineering research group (SIM²) has explored a new procedure to identify EoL electrical products by evaluating an image of the device’s product label. The work was published in Journal of Industrial Ecology.
Cobalt recovery from Li-ion batteries using solvoleaching & solvent extraction
SOLVOMET/SIM² researchers have published their research on a solvometallurgical process for the recovery of cobalt from lithium-ion batteries in Green Chemistry. The research was performed within the framework of the Horizon 2020 project CROCODILE.
Heavy rare-earth separation process successfully tested on pilot-scale level
Within the context of EU NEMO, SIM² KU Leuven/SOLVOMET researchers developed a non-aqueous solvent extraction process for the separation of heavy rare earths (HREEs). The work was published in Separation & Purification Technology.
Mass estimation & classification of scrap metals using Deep Learning
The Lifecycle Engineering research group (LCE/SIM² KU Leuven) has explored a new methodology for mass estimation and classification of scrap metals using Deep Learning. The work was published in Resources, Conservation and Recycling.
A new study on Nb-Ta-oxide minerals in P-rich rare-element pegmatites (Buranga)
SIM² KU Leuven geologists have described the occurrence of Nb and Ta oxide minerals associated with complex phosphate mineral assemblages in phosphorus-rich pegmatites. The work is published in the American Mineralogist.
Iron-rich slag addition in blended cement systems: can it work?
Within the EU MSCA-ETN SOCRATES project, Jennifer Astoveza investigated the possibility to add iron-rich slag as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM) in distinct calcium aluminate containing cement systems.
Counter-current ionic liquid metathesis reduces environmental impact
SIM² KU Leuven – SOLVOMET researchers have studied the metathesis or anion-exchange of ionic liquids in a lab-scale, counter-current mixer-settler set-up. The work was published in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering.
Recovery of copper, zinc and lead from photovoltaic panel residues
Within the EU ETN SULTAN and PEACOC projects, SOLVOMET/SIM2 KU Leuven and VITO researchers developed a process to recover copper, zinc and lead from chloride leachates of PV residues. The work was published in RSC Advances.
