The soundwave recycling technology transforms 'Forever Chemicals' into renewable resources

A new technology in which Soundwaves can be separated into recycling can help to trigger potentially harmful chemicals into the environment.

Researchers at the University of Leicester have achieved a large milestone in recycling fuel cells and promoted techniques in order to efficiently separate valuable catalyst materials and fluorated polymer membranes (PFAs) from membranes (CCMS) coated with catalysts. The articles are published in RSC sustainability And Ultrasonic sonochemistry.

This development deals with critical environmental challenges of PFAS – often referred to as “chemicals” forever – that it is known that they contaminate drinking water and have serious health effects. The Royal Society of Chemistry has asked the state intervention to reduce the PFAS level in British water supply.

Fuel cells and water electrolysers, essential components of hydrogen drive systems, power supply of cars, trains and buses, depend on CCMS that contain valuable platinum group metals. However, the strong liability between catalyst layers and PFAS membranes has made it difficult for recycling.

Leicester researchers have developed a scalable method using the organic solvents and the water conductor in order to effectively separate these materials and revolutionize the recycling process.

Dr. Jake Yang from the chemistry of the University of Leicester said: “This method is simple and scalable. We can now separate PFAS membranes from precious metals without hard chemicals and the way we recycle fuel cells.

“Fuel cells have long been announced as a breakthrough technology for clean energy, but the high costs for platinum group metals were regarded as a restriction. A circular economy in these metals will bring this breakthrough technology a step closer to reality.”

On the establishment of this success, a follow-up study introduced a continuous delamination process, whereby a tailor-made blade sonotrode was used, in which high-frequency ultrasound is used to share the membranes to accelerate recycling. The process creates bubbles that collapse when they are exposed to high pressure, which means that the precious catalysts can be separated in seconds at room temperature. The innovative process is both sustainable and economically viable and paves the way for the widespread introduction.

This research was carried out in cooperation with Johnson Matthey, a leading worldwide company in sustainable technologies. Company academy partnerships such as these underline the importance of collective efforts to progress technological.

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Ross Gordon, main scientist at Johnson Matthey, said: “The development of ultrasound with a high intensity to separate catalyst formembranes is a player in the approach to fuel cell recycling. With Johnson Matthey, we are proud to work together on pioneering solutions, which stores the more continued energy that stores the energy that is energy, the energy, the energy saved.

Since the need for the fuel cells continues to grow, this breakthrough contributes to the circular economy by enables efficient recycling of components for clean clean energy. The researchers' efforts support a more environmentally friendly and affordable future for fuel cell technology and at the same time overcome urgent environmental challenges.