Development of aenvironmental benign recycling systems for precious metals using organic solvents containing CuBr2

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25550067
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Environmental conscious materials and recycle
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: MATSUNO Yasunari 東京大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (50358032)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): TAKAI Madoka 東京大学, 大学院工学系研究科(工学部), 教授 (40287975)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 再資源化 / グリーンケミストリー / 貴金属 / リサイクル

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this work, we developed a novel process for recycling precious metals from secondary sources such as used electric and electronic equipment (EEE), using dimethyl sulfoxideand propylene carbonate solvents containing CuBr2 and KBr, which could offer a number of advantages, including eco-friendliness, ease of operation and low cost.
First, we investigated the best solvents and operating conditions for dissolving and recovering the precious metals where metal wires of Au, Ag, Pt and Pd were used. Electrochemical measurements were conducted to investigate the mechanism for dissolution and precipitation of the precious metals. Then, we investigated the recovery of precious metals from the used print-circuit boards, etc. in which the effect of other metals and resins on the dissolution and recovery of precious metals were investigated to find out the necessary pretreatments for our recycling process.

Free Research Field

化学工学　電気化学