Projects

International Projects

RHINOCEROS

 

"Batteries reuse and direct production of high performances cathodic and anodic materials and other raw materials from batteries recycling using low cost and environmentally friendly technologies"

(Funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101069685)

 

Rhinoceros is a project funded by the European Commission (GA n.101069685) under the Horizon program (Call: HORIZON-CL5-2021-D2-01) and aims to facilitate access to the materials that make up the battery, developing a chain of innovative, circular and highly performing procurement able to recycle batteries and reuse the products obtained at high purity and at competitive prices for the remanufacturing of new batteries. In this project, therefore, the aim is to demonstrate a recycling path for batteries deriving from the automotive sector that have reached the end of their life, thus contributing to reducing Europe's dependence on the import of CRM (Li, Co, graphite). This project is currently ongoing (start date: September 2022 - end date: August 2026).

Eco Recycling, as project partner, is responsible for the following activities:

  • basic and detailed design of the prototype concerning the hydrometallurgical treatment;
  • support in construction and commissioning;
  • support during the demonstration phase.

For more details: http://www.rhinoceros-project.eu

LIFE DRONE

“Direct pROduction of New Electrode materials from battery recycling”

(co-financed by European Commission LIFE19 programme)

Life DRONE (LIFE19 ENV / IT / 000520) is a project co-funded under the LIFE + program and aims to demonstrate a new recycling route for different types of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) that have reached the end of their life. The main idea is to demonstrate an innovative recycling process to recover high-value materials (graphite, Ni, Co and Mn) and employ these materials to synthesize high-quality cathode material for new NMC lithium-ion batteries. The project will be focused on the scale-up of the hydrometallurgical treatment with mineral acids of the electrode powder currently delivered by the physical pretreatment of LIBs manually separated from the collected batteries. This treatment will yield a mixed hydroxide of Ni, Co and Mn, which will be successively employed to synthesize the NMC cathode material. The impact of the inaccurate LIBs manual sorting and of the consequent difficulties of pre-physical treatment control will be evaluated by quantifying the deviations of the operating conditions (Ni, Co and Mn concentrations) from the optimal values required for the mixed hydroxide synthesis. These deviations will be corrected in the process by the controlled addition of Ni, Co and Mn salts. The project will finally include the testing of produced materials by the production of new lithium-ion cells.

In order to demonstrate the process, the mobile plant realized during the HYDROWEEE Project (FP7 n. 231962) will be operated along with a new unit designed and constructed to synthesize the NMC cathode oxide.

The consortium is composed of four partners from the Italian market. Technosind srl is the leader of the project while the other project partners are the following: Eco Recycling, FAAM RESEARCH CENTER, S.EVal srl and Sapienza University Department of Chemistry.

The Life DRONE project started in September 2020 and ends in December 2023 and has the following objectives:

  • Process demonstration by treatment of 3 tons of Li-ion batteries (about 1350 kg of electrodic powder) producing 660 kg of NMC oxide;
  • Validation of produced materials by preparation of 10 Li-ion cells;
  • Evaluation of the process economic feasibility;
  • Life cycle assessment of the proposed recycling route;
  • Elaboration of a replicability plan evaluating the implementation in a different EU member state;
  • Elaboration of a business plan to drive the large scale industrial application of the proposed process.  

For more details: http://www.lifedrone.eu

 

LIFE BIOAs

 

 

“Removal of As from water using innovative BIO-adsorbents produced from by-products of the agro-industrial”

(co-financed by European Commission LIFE19 programme)

 

Life BIOAs (LIFE19 ENV / IT / 000512) is a project co-financed under the LIFE + program and aims to demonstrate the environmental and economic feasibility of a process for the production of an innovative bio-adsorbent and, simultaneously, its use for the purification of drinking water from arsenic. The project will highlight the advantages related to environmental impacts (related to water purification) and the economic advantages related to a lower use of expensive raw materials and less energy consumption compared to the adsorbents currently produced). Within the project, three prototypes will be built and experimental campaigns will be carried out for the production of bio adsorbents and for the decontamination of the waters. Eco Recycling srl is the leader of the project while the other project partners are as follows: ALFO ENERGIA srl, HTR center (High Tech Recycling, Department of Chemistry of the University "La Sapienza" of Rome), TALETE SpA, Technosind Srl, Universidade de Évora.
The Life BIOAs project starts in September 2020 and ends in August 2023 and has the following objectives:

  • Design and construction of the prototype for the production of bio-adsorbents;
  • Design and construction of the prototype for the treatment of the water that uses the bioadsorbents produced in the project;
  • Design and construction of a portable prototype for the treatment of water that uses the bioadsorbents produced in the project;
  • Demonstration of the use of innovative bioadsorbents in prototypes for removing arsenic from water;
  • Technical-economic feasibility study of the proposed technology;
  • Study of the environmental impacts associated with the proposed technology considering both the production of bi-absorbents and their use for water treatment.

For more details: http://www.lifebioas.eu

 

CUSTOM-ART

 

 

 

"Disruptive kesterites-based thin film technologies CUSTOMised for challenging ARchiTectural and active urban furniture applications"

(co-financed by European Commission Horizon 2020 programme)

Custom-Art consortium leads an ambitious and disruptive EC funded project for the development and demonstration of the next generation of BIPV and PIPV modules based on abundant thin-film materials.

Building- and product-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV and PIPV) are identified as key enabling technologies to make "near-zero energy buildings" and "net-zero energy districts" a reality. The mass adoption of BIPV and PIPV solutions can only be achieved by developing cost-efficient and sustainable thin-film technologies with unbeatable aesthetic functionalities, mechanical flexibility and optical tunability.

The EU-funded CUSTOM-ART project aims to develop the next generation of BIPV and PIPV modules based on abundant thin-film materials such as kesterites. The project will bring flexible and semi-transparent solar modules to a higher level of maturity (TRL 7), demonstrating very competitive conversion efficiencies (20% at cell and 16% at module levels) and increased durability (over 35 years), at a reduced production cost (less than EUR 75/m2).

By combining advanced strategies for materials properties management, with customized modules design in a circular economy approach, two types of products will be developed including flexible PV modules and semi-transparent PV devices. CUSTOM-ART will bring these technologies from TRL4-5 up to TRL7, demonstrating very competitive conversion efficiencies and durability (over 35 years), at a reduced production cost. They will exclusively use abundant elements and contributing to ensure the full sustainability and competitiveness of the European BIPV and PIPV Industry.

CUSTOM-ART is an H2020 funded project that stands for “Disruptive kesterites-based thin-film technologies customised for challenging architectural and active urban furniture applications“. The kick-off meeting is held online from the 22nd to the 23rd of September, 2020.

The project has a total budget of 8M€ and will run for 42 months (start date: September 2020 - end date: February 2024). It involves 17 partners across Europe that includes the world-leading groups and main European actors involved in the development of kesterite technologies and Alejandro Pérez-Rodríguez from IREC is the coordinator of the project.

Eco Recycling as a project partner, is responsible for the following activities:

  • Definition of an innovative process for the recycling of this new type of thin-film panels;
  • Revamping of its existing mobile plant built within a previous project, identification of the changes necessary for the validation of the innovative process for the recycling of this type of panels;
  • Realization of a technical-economic feasibility study for the construction of a full-scale plant, with the annexed drafting of a business plan.

More information: http://www.custom-art-h2020.eu  https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/952982/es

 

Crocodile

 

 

 

"First of a kind commercial Compact system for the efficient Recovery Of CObalt Designed with novel Integrated LEading technologies"

(co-financed by European Commission Horizon 2020 programme)

Crocodile is a project co-financed by the European Commission (GA n.776473) within the frame of the Horizon 2020 programme (Call: H2020-SC5-2016-2017). This project aimed to recovery Cobalt from a series of WEEE wastes. In particular, the project is currently concluded (start date: June 2018 - end date November 2022) and it aimed to demonstrate on a large scale the innovative metallurgical process integrated, which uses different specific technologies to maximize the recovery of Cobalt.

Eco Recycling, as a project partner, was responsible for the following activities:

  • Study of the pre-existing mobile plant realized within the European HydroWEEE DEMO project, in order to identify the changes necessary for the realization of the proposed innovative process (revamping of two mobile plants);
  • Demonstration of the proposed process by integrating a new L-L extraction and electrodeposition sections to the previously developed plant (HydroWEEE DEMO);
  • Support for the realization of the business plan.

https://h2020-crocodile.eu/

Member

 

"Advanced MEMBranes and membrane assisted procEsses for pre- and post-combustion CO2 captuRe”

(co-financed by European Commission Horizon 2020 programme)

MEMBER is a project co-financed by the European Commission (GA n°760944) within the frame of the Horizon 2020 programme (Call: H2020-NMBP-2016-2017). This project is currently concluded (start date: January 2018 - end date: June 2022). The key objective of the project was the production and replicability of both advanced materials and new technologies (membranes and sorbents) to be used in power plants for pre- and post-combustion CO2 capture and for the production of H2 with integrated CO2 capture.  

Based on its know-how on the recycling treatment of end-of-life Pd-Ag membranes (which was acquired in a previous national project, HYRPAM), Eco Recycling was focused its activity on:

  • Lab test on samples of membranes (produced within the MEMBER project by Tecnalia) in order to define the optimized parameters  to perform the recycling of target components;
  • Pilot plant test on a prototype in order to validate the lab procedure also in a bigger scale.

The project involves also an analysis of the recovered support after the recycling treatment in order to assess the process' efficiency. New membranes will be manufactured on these supports and their properties will be measured and compared with the original ones.

https://member-co2.com/

 

LiBat

 

“Recycling of primary Lithium Battery by mechanical and hydrometallurgical operations”

(co-financed by European Commission LIFE16 programme)

LiBat (LIFE16 ENV/IT/000389) is an EU LIFE+ funded with the aim to demonstrate an innovative process for the recycling of end-of-life primary Lithium batteries. The only plants currently operated in Europe use pyrometallurgical processes, while the proposed process integrates a mechanical pre-treatment section with a hydrometallurgical treatment section. This process derives from the collaboration between Eco Recycling and the HTR center (High Tech Recycling, Department of Chemistry of the "La Sapienza" University of Rome).

This solution allows achieving, in line with the EU Directive 2006/66/EC, a recycling efficiency of primary lithium batteries larger than 50% and ensures energy consumption and environmental pollution impact significantly lower than those achieved by implementation of pyrometallurgical processes.

The LiBat, July 2017 - December 2020, project aimed at the following objectives:

  • Demonstration of the new innovative process for recycling primary Li batteries (Li(0)/MnO2);
  • Recovery of plastics, ferrous and non-ferrous materials through the integration of a mechanical pre-treatment with a hydrometallurgical treatment;
  • Demonstrate the possibility of separately recovering Lithium and Manganese products, unlike alternative recycling technologies to date;
  • Design and construction of a pilot plant capable of processing 50 kg of batteries/day.

http://www.lifelibat.eu

e.THROUGH


"Thinking rough towards sustainability"

(co-financed by European Commission Horizon 2020 programme)

e.THROUGH project (Call: H2020-MSCA-RISE-2017) (January 2018 to December 2022)  has the ambitious vision of turning the challenge of CRMs dependence into a strategic strength for Europe, contributing towards declassifying some CRMs (critical raw materials), as tungsten, indium, gallium and chromium.

The project aims to:

  • Promoting new trends in the characterization and exploration of mineral deposits;
  • Mapping CRMs between EU mining regions;
  • Gaining knowledge on innovative processes for recovery secondary CRMs;
  • Redesign construction materials using secondary materials, closing loops, strongly supporting waste minimization;
  • Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for the evaluation of global environmental impacts;
  • Transferring newly generated knowledge to stakeholders, both for policy development and standardization and for shaping responsible behaviors.

e.THROUGH is an intersectoral and interdisciplinary consortium of EU & Third Country partners of leading institutions that see waste as a resource to recover CRMs, influencing the whole value chain. By training human resources in CRMs´value chain, their recovery, recycling, further reuse and LCA, they become the much needed young and senior scientists and engineers for the growing EU CRM industry. The consortium comprises 40% industry and 60% research partners. 

https://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/213000_en.html

 

Photolife

 

“Process and automated pilot plant for simultaneous and integral recycling of

different kinds of photovoltaic panels”

(LIFE13 ENV/IT/001033)

 

Photolife (LIFE13 ENV/IT/001033) is an EU LIFE+ funded project with the aim of recovery of glass and main values from end life Photovoltaic panels. The scope of the project is the construction of a pilot plant and the experimentation of the innovative process for the full recovery of different kind of PV panels. Eco Recycling is Coordinator of the project, the designer and the builder of the pilot plant. The project started on 1 June 2014 and finished on 31 August 2017.

The Photolife project has been aimed:

  • To demonstrate in pilot scale the technical feasibility of an innovative process (developed on the base of laboratory scale experiments) for the automated and simultaneous treatment of the three main kinds of photovoltaic panels (Si-based, Cd-Te based and  innovative panels as the CIGS)
  • To characterize the pilot plant products (glass and metals)
  • To determine the overall economic feasibility of the pilot plant process accounting also for the recovery of electronic equipment (printed circuit boards and other electronic equipment) and plastics

http://www.photolifeproject.eu

 

HydroWEEE DEMO

“Innovative Hydrometallurgical processes to recover Metals from WEEE including lamps and batteries: Demonstration”

(co-financed by European Commission FP7 programme)

This project includes Eco Recycling and the HTR center (High Tech Recycling, Department of Chemistry of the "La Sapienza" University of Rome) involved in the continuation of the activities already co-financed by the EU with the HydroWEEE project (Call ID "FP7-SME-2008- 1). This project began in October 2012 and ended in March 2017. The processes previously developed for the recovery of base and precious metals from WEEE have been further optimized to increase the purity yield of the recovered metals (cathode ray tubes, lamps, printed circuits, LCDs, batteries).

 The main objective of the HydroWEEE DEMO project was to build two demonstration plants on an industrial scale: a fixed one installed at Relight Srl in Rho (MI) and one mobile. The project aimed at testing the processes already developed, verify their performance and demonstrating feasibility from an integrated (technical, economic, operational, social) point of view, also taking into account the risk assessment (including health) and the benefits for society and the environment, favoring then a wide diffusion on the market.

The demonstration objectives were successfully achieved when the fixed plant worked continuously for at least 18 months; in the same way, the mobile plant has been transported through at least 5 locations in at least 3 countries in Europe (Italy, Romania, Serbia).

https://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/105213_it.html

http://www.4980.timewarp.at/sat/hydroWEEE/

 

HydroWEEE

 

“Innovative Hydrometallurgical Processes to recover Metals from WEEE including lamps and batteries”

 (co-financed by European Commission FP7 programme)

HydroWEEE (2008-2012) is a project co-financed under the FP7 calls (Seventh Framework Program of the EU) aimed at supporting SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises) in research and development activities (Call ID "FP7-SME-2008- 1). The industrial leader of the project was the Austrian company SAT in Vienna, while Eco Recycling, scientific leader, was involved in the design and construction of a mobile pilot plant for the recovery of base and precious metals from WEEE and the related experimental campaign.

The HydroWEEE project aimed to develop the following hydrometallurgical processes:

  • Processes for the recovery of rare earth (Eu, Tb, Y and Gd) from fluorescent lamps and CRTs;
  • Processes for the recovery of Cobalt and Lithium from LIBs;
  • Processes for the recovery of precious metals such as Au from PCBs;
  • Indio recovery processes from LCDs.

https://cordis.europa.eu/result/rcn/45388_it.html

 

National Projects

PHOTOBATRIC

 

 

 

 

"PROCESS FOR THE RECYCLING OF CAR BATTERIES AND PHOTOVOLTAIC PANELS AT END OF LIFE"

(international voucher: POR-FESR 2014-2020)

The internationalization project of Eco Recycling focused on the search for Chinese companies ready to implement the innovative and cutting-edge technology developed by the Company in the sector of the treatment of batteries and photovoltaic panels at the end of their life, it should be noted that China is the world's largest producer of photovoltaic panels and is also a leader in the sector of the production of lithium batteries for motor vehicles. The recycling sector of these two wastes is growing exponentially. Eco Recycling currently possesses adequate knowledge and has developed and validated the processes leading to the drafting of general Business Plans that demonstrate the feasibility of two separate recycling processes for potential of the order of 5000 - 10000 t/year of treated waste.

Purpose: The project involved participation in two events in China, the most important being the “Innovation Week Italy-China 2019”. For the Company, the construction of industrial plants in China for the recycling of batteries and photovoltaic panels would lead to substantial growth.

Results: For the "Innovation Week Italy-China" event, which in 2019 saw Beijing and Jinan (capital of the rich province of Shandong) as host cities, the company Jalteco organized in the exhibition area "Italy" in the DPICGC Building (" Demonstration Park of Innovative Cooperation of Global Chain ", permanent exhibition area managed by the CinItaly Association), a series of spaces dedicated to Italian companies" HiTech & Innovation "; among these companies was also Eco Recycling that advertised its initiatives with brochure in Chinese language.

This initiative was co-financed by the Lazio Region with the Voucher Internationalization.

ECORETE-GREEN

 

 

"CIRCULAR ECONOMY: Recovery of plastic and wood with green technologies" 

(FESR Fondo Europeo di Sviluppo Regionale Programma Operativo Regionale del Lazio)

Description of the project

The proposed project, start in July 2020, is part of the green economy and fits into context of the "circular economy". In fact, a model of "industrial symbiosis" is proposed for the reduction of waste disposed of in landfills and at the same time the development of a green product with innovative methods. In particular, the project is oriented to the recovery and enhancement of wood and plastic waste (meaning by this term macromolecular polymeric materials of different nature) through their transformation into products with high added / technological value.

The choice of these two waste materials so different from each other (the first of synthetic origin, the second considered natural waste) is caused by the fact that both pose many problems for disposal. As for plastics, currently only one third of that disposed of is sent for regeneration to transform it into secondary raw material, while the remaining part is about 50% sent to energy valorisation through waste-to-energy plants and the remaining 50% sent to landfill. For wood, millions of tons are sent to landfills every year in Lazio. Such waste can also create problems for at least two points of view: they are bulky and therefore reduce the disposal capacity of ecological islands; in an anaerobic environment they produce methane which is a greenhouse gas twenty times more harmful than carbon dioxide.

Purpose

The aim of the project is the transformation of both these scraps into products with high added / technological value through processes that are in the case of plastics a pushed depolymerization with production of new monomer, in the case of wood a decomposition, with green solvents (deep eutectic solvents or low transition temperature mixtures) in cellulose and lignin and in their reuse for the production of support elements for electrodes (cellulose) and for the production of electrolytic membranes (lignin) to be used in a new concept battery.

The waste fractions of both processes will be used to produce “zero sulfur” fuels for use in diesel engines and in carbonaceous material that can be used both to produce electrodes for the battery or as activated carbon.

Project partner

The project involves two SME: S.R.S. Servizi Ricerca e Sviluppo srl and Eco Recycling srl and four research groups OdR: one of Università di Roma 3 (Dip. Di Scienze) and three of Sapienza (DICMA, Hydro-Eco e DIAG).

 

BIPAM

 

 

"Processo innovativo ed integrato per la produzione di BIoPellet a partire da scarti Amidacei"     

(co-financed by Regione Lazio: POR-FESR 2014-2020)

 

 

The BIPAM project falls within the sector of the Circular Economy and aims at the development and implementation of an advanced and integrated transformation process that allows the production of totally biodegradable and compostable pellets using as raw material the starch extracted from food waste (potatoes) and algae (produced using wastewater).
The main objectives of the project are the following:

  • Definition of the process, design and construction of prototype units for starch production from food waste and microalgae. The proposed innovative technology also aims to minimize the consumption of matter and energy;
  • Setting up a procedure for the modification of starch that allows to establish the optimal formulation of compostable bioplastic material such as to satisfy the characteristics necessary for its use in the food packaging sector;
  • Optimization of the reactive extrusion process and production of fully compostable biodegradable pellets.

Therefore, within the project, a "zero waste" process will be realized, which fits perfectly within the concept of the circular economy; furthermore, a technical and economic feasibility analysis will be carried out (cost-benefit analysis) with a view to the realization of a full-scale plant.

The project involves four partners: Eco Recycling, BIO-P, High Tech Recycling (Inter-University research center), and GA Energy; it will have a duration of 17 months, starting from 3/12/2018.

https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8749036/

http://ec.europa.eu/esf/home.jsp

REINFORCED AND CONSOLIDATION OF ECO RECYCLING

 

 

 

 

 

“Reinforced and consolidated of Eco Recycling” (cofinanced co-financed by European Union)

The project (CUP code F23D16000050009) concerns the consolidation and strengthening of the general activities of the company.

The budget is dedicated to the arrangement of a new industrial site that includes:

  • The purchase of a generator for the electrical supply of prototypes, a container used as an office for operators and the installation of a gate suitable for access to the platform on which the company has moved the prototypes already built during previous projects and will place others of new construction;
  • The purchase of essential accessories for the operation of prototypes (eg tanks for the collection of process waste and washing water).

Purpose: refurbishment of a new industrial site

Results: purchase of a generator, a gate and tanks for the collection of rainwater

Financial support received: interest-free bank loan for an amount equal to 36,000 euros with a duration of 36 months

 

O.Ri.Fo

       “Optimization of a zero-waste treatment for the recycling of photovoltaic modules at the end of life ” (cofinanced by the Ministry of the Environment and Protection of the Territory and the Sea)

“Call for the co-financing of research projects aimed at developing new technologies for the recovery, recycling and treatment of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)”

O.RI.FO is a project born after a project co-funded by the EU (PHOTOLIFE, life project) during this project a process for the treatment of photovoltaic modules at the end of life was developed and a prototype-scale plant was built.

During the O.RI.FO project, a new physical treatment unit for the treating of the fine fraction of the glass will be designed, realized and tested and an experimental campaign to increase the recovery of the plastics will be realized; the purpose of the project is to carry out a drafting of a complete business plan suitable for a full-scale plant construction.

The fine fraction of the glass during the PHOTOLIFE project has been treated using chemical processes, in the present project an alternative treatment is proposed: a physical treatment realized through an iron separation unit and an eddy current system, this new prototype line will be used to clean the glass and separate it from metals, this alternative treatment will provide significant economic and environmental advantages.

In the following project, another aspect concerning plastics and their final destination will be explored, the fractions of plastics soaked in the solvent can be valorized by:

1  Chemical treatment

2  Heat treatment/gasification

In this regard, a large experimental laboratory campaign will be carried out by the HTR research center. The experimental campaign will also aim to perform tests to remove the solvent in order to allow the design of the solvent recovery unit indispensable on a full-scale plant.

The project involves three partners: HTR (Inter-University research center), Eco Recycling and GA Energy; will have a duration of 24 months, starting from 19/01/2018.

HYRPAM

“Recovery process of  membranes for the hydrogen based on Palladium and Silver”

(Call POR FESR Lazio 2007-2013)

HYRPAM is a project financed under the POR FESR Lazio 2007-2013 calls for the Public Notice 'Win together' (2014-2015). The project aim was the development and optimization of a hydrometallurgical process aimed at recovering both the support and precious metals present in the membranes based on Palladio/Silver. This process was developed following a technical-economic evaluation of the entire life cycle of the same membranes and a pilot scale plant was realized.

The results obtained from this project were the following:

  • Development of a process for the treatment and enhancement of membranes at the end of life;
  • The design and construction of a pilot plant suitable for treatment.

NANOHYDRO

“Production of metallic structured nano from leaches from the hydrometallurgical treatment of WEEE and exhausted batteries” (Call POR FESR Lazio 2007-2013, R&D Projects in collaboration from the PMI of Lazio)

The aim of this project (2012-2014) was the development of processes for the production, through electrochemical techniques, of nano metal materials based on copper and cobalt starting from leaches from the hydrometallurgical treatment of special waste such as WEEE and/or batteries. The main aims of the project were the identification of the operating conditions for the production of materials in a structured nano form, the scale-up of the process and the realization of a suitable pilot experimental system with advanced monitoring systems for the control of process parameters. In order to implement an efficient data analysis monitoring, a specific online survey system has been integrated to improve the expected objectives. This system consisted of both HW components for data collection and collection, as well as software for processing and analysis. The system, as a whole, has provided the possibility to automate the phases of control and management of complex electrochemical processes in full scale.

In recent years the nanomaterials market has undergone strong expansion due to the interest of pharmaceutical industries, catalyst producers and technology companies.

The potential associated with the innovative project has been significant, both from an environmental and economic point of view, due to the production of high added value materials (Co and Cu structured nano) from waste. The structured nano-metallic cobalt can, in fact, be used in digital recording devices and in electromechanical microsystems (MEMS). The nano-metallic cobalt particles are also used for the manufacture of high mechanical strength materials such as tungsten carbide of industrial mills and shredders. As far as metallic cobalt is concerned, it is also a catalyst widely used by oil companies; more generally, the structured nano can be used, with better performances, in all the applications in which its analogous microstructured is used.

A similar argument is associated with the production of nanostructured copper, a material that can be widely used wherever formidable conductive capacities are required, from printed circuits to the latest generation photovoltaic modules.

PHOTOREC

Eco Recycling in collaboration with the HTR center (High Tech Recycling, Department of Chemistry of the "La Sapienza" University of Rome) participated in a technology transfer project co-financed by Regione Lazio and named Photorec (2010-2012), for the development of an innovative process to treat the end-of-life photovoltaic panels. This process has been developed on experience gained by researchers and technicians on studying of hydrometallurgical techniques (leaching, precipitation and recovery through electrolysis or calcination) and mechanical, physical, chemical operations, in order to obtain the PVP materials recovery. This recovery is possible through a series of operations (grinding, sieving, magnetic separation, eddy current separation, gravimetric separation) that prepare the feed for the hydrometallurgical section and allow the physical separation of valuable materials. The most important aspect of the innovative hydrometallurgical process was the dissolution of III and IV periodic system groups’ oxide by acid or basic leaching, and the electrolytic recovery of Ga, In, Te. As an alternative to the electrolytic process, the metals are recovered in the form of oxide, through precipitation or calcination.

A series of laboratory scale tests and the process simulations have been done to assess the recovery way cheaper than between the possible ones (electrochemistry or precipitation).

Green batteries

PON MIUR Art.11

Eco Recycling has received funding from the MIUR (Ministry of Education, University and Research) as part of the Research Facilitation Fund (FAR) with the aim of creating a demonstration pilot plant for the recovery of Zinc and Manganese from batteries at the end of life, based on the patented process and for the implementation of a research project for the extension of this process to the treatment of other types of batteries, catalysts and WEEE.

The objective of this research was the development of three different processes for the recovery of metals from the waste through the use of hydrometallurgical techniques.

In particular:

• Processes for the recovery of Manganese and Zinc from the treatment of batteries at the end of life;

• Processes for the recovery of Molybdenum, Vanadium, Cobalt and Nickel from exhausted industrial catalysts in the oil industry and from ash boilers;

• Processes for the recovery of base metals from WEEE (eg Yttrium and Zinc from cathode ray tubes (CRT) of televisions and PCs and Yttrium from fluorescent lamps).

The industrial research phase was realized with the construction of a demonstration pilot plant, located at the SEVAL srl of Colico (LC), for the recovery of Zinc and Manganese from batteries at the end of life, based on the process covered by a European patent.