Description:
Overview
A selective reductant electrowinning process developed by Ohio University researcher, Dr. Gerrardine Botte, shows great promise in capturing metals in industrial processes and waste streams. This new process is highly efficient in comparison to existing approaches, and shows potential for both lowering costs and generating new revenue streams for companies in multiple industries.
Metals are often used as base catalysts (Ni, Co, Cr, Ag, Au, Fe, Cu, and Zn) in industrial processes. These metals eventually lose their catalytic functions and become waste. In other situations, metals leach into water and waste streams during manufacturing processes. This new electrowinning process offers an economical and efficient means for capturing these metals, either for reuse or to be sold.
Various metals are also found in municipal wastewater streams. The use of this technology in water remediation allows for not just the removal of metals, but also inorganics and other organic compounds.
Benefits
Energy efficient process, offering substantial savings over traditional electrowinning
Process is selective, allowing for specific metals to be targeted for recovery
Allows metal recovery from waste streams, allowing metals to be reused or sold
Commercial Applications
Manufacturing—especially electronics and batteries
Oil production and refining
Water treatment/remediation
Chemical plants
Issued Patents
2879727 France, Germany, United Kingdom
Published Patent Application
CA 2,879727
Printable Overview