NSF Award
0060220
This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project addresses the problem of recovery<br/>and recycle of strategic and critical metals. This project will determine the performance benefits of a nanocluster ion exchange media over traditional ion exchange resin, when used to recover strategic and critical metals, such as chromium, nickel and mercury. The basic innovation is the deposition of an extremely thin film (2 nm) on nanoparticles, coupled with low-temperature consolidation of nanoparticles to form nanoclusters, and the use of chemically reactive coatings to remove metal ions from industrial process and waste streams. The integrated ion exchange (IIX) electrochemical process reactor, will allow a close coupling of the nanostructured clusters with charge modulated electric fields for enhanced treatment of industrial process and waste streams, and for in-situ regeneration of the nanostructured clusters.<br/><br/>The proposed process will facilitate cost-effective and selective separations assisted by electric fields, for<br/>cost-effective recovery and recycle of strategic and critical metals from aqueous based processes, such as<br/>in-process recycling in metal finishing operations, process and waste streams from chlor-alkali operations, and waste from dental and medical operations.
