SBIR Phase I: Reclamation of Tungsten Carbide from Scrap Tools

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目将开发一种新技术，直接从切削工具行业每年产生的价值20亿美元的WC-钴废料中回收碳化钨（WC）。由于按品位分离几乎是不可能的，因为它必须从最终用户那里收集，而且由于混合品位的可能性很大，因此需要一个以WC为重点的回收过程。目前的回收方法由于使用高腐蚀性化学品和高能耗，繁琐、耗时和昂贵。所提出的电化学过程将消除氢还原步骤和再渗碳步骤。回收的WC可以重新涂层并重新制造成WC- co工具，用于加工，钻孔，成形工具和模具，以及石油和天然气燃烧器，喷墨和磨料水射流切割的喷嘴。回收WC的其他应用包括电子材料、耐磨复合涂层和陀螺仪配重。电化学方法有望通过减少化学品的使用量，降低化学品的设备基础设施使用，并降低能源成本，从而在回收过程中显著节省成本。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop a new technology to reclaim tungsten carbide (WC) directly from WC-cobalt (Co) scrap, generated each year by the cutting tool industry in an amount worth 2 billion dollars. Since segregation by grade is nearly impossible in that it must be collected from end users and since mixing grades is highly likely, a recovery process that focuses on WC is needed. Current methods for recovery are tedious, time consuming, and expensive due to use of highly corrosive chemicals and high energy consumption. The proposed electrochemical process will eliminate the hydrogen reduction step and the recarburization step.Recovered WC can be re-coated and remanufactured into WC-Co tools for applications in machining, oredrilling, in forming tools and dies, and nozzles for oil and natural gas burners, inkjets and abrasive waterjet cutting. Other applications for recovered WC include materials used in electronics, composite coatings for wear resistance, and counterweights for gyroscopes. The electrochemical approach is expected to result in significant cost savings in the recovery process by reducing the amount of chemicals used, lower the equipment infrastructure use of chemicals, and reduce energy costs.