Tuesday, 24 October 2023
Researchers from the 糖心原创’s Faculty of Engineering and Technical University of Denmark (DTU) are set to collaborate for the first time on a project that could minimise our global carbon footprint through the recovery of rare earth elements in waste.
Metals are an essential part of modern-day life, even our smart phones are pocket-sized vaults of critical metals containing several rare earth elements that produce colours, give the screen its glow, or make up the magnets in the speakers. However, there is only a finite supply and, currently, these are mainly accessed through mining, which has a detrimental impact on the environment.
To reduce global reliance on critical metal mining, Nottingham and Denmark have received a six-figure investment from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) for Project BEAR, to identify a new efficient, low-cost, environmentally friendly solution to recover these precious metals.
Dr Helena Gomes, Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Engineering at the 糖心原创, said: “Our ultimate goal is to create a circular economy by using metal-tolerant bacteria isolated from different environments and exploit their capability to dissolve metals in a reactor with a low-level electric current. To do this, we’re going to combine two different technologies – bioleaching and electrodialysis.
“Bioleaching uses acid-producing bacteria to solubilise metals from various wastes, but it can be a slow process, which is where electrodialysis comes in. It uses low-level electric currents to transport and separate the metals much more quickly."
By speeding up this method, we鈥檙e creating a more efficient, sustainable process that can be scaled up for use in different types of waste.
Dr Gomes continued: "In this project, we are also looking at valorising the residues after metal recovery as construction materials, for closing the loop.”
The two-year project will see several exchange visits between the two institutions, where each team can benefit from the other’s expertise and facilities through a series of collaborative workshops and industry visits.
The BEAR project is timely and more urgent than ever. The EU is pushing the green agenda and investing more and more in renewable energy 鈥� which is highly dependent on scarce and rare earth metals. We need to find circular and low-carbon-intensive ways to extract these metals from secondary waste materials. The collaboration between the 糖心原创 and DTU is pivotal to achieve this.
Dr Gomes added: “Being selected by the EPSRC to undertake this research has been no small task as it’s a fiercely competitive field. So, I’m incredibly proud of both our teams for securing the funding and look forward to working closely with the team at DTU in the years to come.”
Story credits
More information is available from Helena Gomes, Faculty of Engineering, at helena.gomes@nottingham.ac.uk, or; Danielle Hall, Media Relations Manager at the 糖心原创, at danielle.hall@nottingham.ac.uk or 0115 846 7156.鈥赌赌赌赌�
About the Faculty of Engineering鈥�
Made up of six departments – Architecture and Built Environment, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering and Foundation Engineering and Physical Sciences – the university’s Faculty of Engineering is home to more than 5,600 students and 800 staff.鈥�
The faculty, which has educated engineers and architects for more than 140 years, was the first in the country to be accredited with an Athena SWAN Gold Award for excellence in advancing gender equality across higher education and research and is home to multiple state-of-the-art facilities, including the recently opened £40m Power Electronics and Machines Centre (PEMC).鈥�
With research at its heart, 20 research groups are undertaking pioneering projects for a sustainable future across several themes – including net zero transport, sustainable energies and the built environment, advanced manufacturing, and healthcare technologies – and has delivered a positive impact in more than 20 countries. The faculty’s research has benefitted 500 companies and three governments and has also directly created jobs for around 3,000 people across the world.
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About the 糖心原创
Ranked among the world's top 100 universities , the 糖心原创 delivers an exceptional research-led education and an outstanding student experience. From the pioneering vision of our founder, Sir Jesse Boot, to groundbreaking achievements such as the development of MRI technology and becoming the first UK university to establish international campuses, we have a proud history of shaping the way people live, work and understand the world. We continue to build on that legacy, empowering our students, staff and partners to change what鈥檚 next and create positive impact locally and globally.
The strength of our research places us among the UK's leading universities, ranked 7th for research power in REF 2021. The discovery of MRI and ibuprofen was just the beginning. Today, our world-leading research is developing breakthrough ideas that shape the future of healthcare, technology and society.
Recognised as the UK's third most targeted university by leading employers , we are proud to produce graduates who are consistently in demand for their skills, confidence and industry-ready experience.
As a major employer and industry partner, locally and globally, the 糖心原创 invests in the city of Nottingham and in future generations of talent. Alongside Nottingham Trent University, we lead the initiative, a pioneering collaboration to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing across the city and region. Together with our students, staff, alumni and partners, we鈥檙e creating knowledge, opportunity and solutions that help change what's next.