STTR PHASE I: Use of Nanoclusters for Recovery of Strategic Metals

这个小型企业技术转移（STTR）第一阶段项目解决了回收和再利用战略和关键金属的问题。该项目将确定纳米簇离子交换介质相对于传统离子交换树脂的性能优势，用于回收战略和关键金属，如铬、镍和汞。基本的创新是在纳米颗粒上沉积一层极薄的薄膜（2纳米），再加上纳米颗粒的低温固结形成纳米簇，并使用化学反应涂层从工业过程和废物流中去除金属离子。集成离子交换（IIX）电化学过程反应器将允许纳米结构团簇与电荷调制电场的紧密耦合，以增强工业过程和废物流的处理，以及纳米结构团簇的原位再生。拟议的工艺将促进在电场的协助下进行具有成本效益的选择性分离，以具有成本效益的方式从水基工艺中回收和再循环战略和关键金属，例如金属精加工的工艺回收、氯碱作业的工艺和废物流以及牙科和医疗作业的废物。

This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project addresses the problem of recoveryand recycle of strategic and critical metals. This project will determine the performance benefits of a nanocluster ion exchange media over traditional ion exchange resin, when used to recover strategic and critical metals, such as chromium, nickel and mercury. The basic innovation is the deposition of an extremely thin film (2 nm) on nanoparticles, coupled with low-temperature consolidation of nanoparticles to form nanoclusters, and the use of chemically reactive coatings to remove metal ions from industrial process and waste streams. The integrated ion exchange (IIX) electrochemical process reactor, will allow a close coupling of the nanostructured clusters with charge modulated electric fields for enhanced treatment of industrial process and waste streams, and for in-situ regeneration of the nanostructured clusters.The proposed process will facilitate cost-effective and selective separations assisted by electric fields, forcost-effective recovery and recycle of strategic and critical metals from aqueous based processes, such asin-process recycling in metal finishing operations, process and waste streams from chlor-alkali operations, and waste from dental and medical operations.