Planning Grant: I/UCRC for Materials Resource Recovery and Recyclability

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This collaborative grant to the Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Colorado School of Mines is to fund a study on the feasibility of creating a research center in the area of materials recovery and recyclability. The PIs plan to meet with industry leaders to help determine the need and sustainability for a government, industry, and academic partnership to work on research issues related to innovative recovery and recycling technologies that maximize the recovery of scrap from the waste stream and optimizes the cycling of these material back into the production of materials and products.Strategies will be planned with industry input to develop and build systems that optimize recovery and recycling technologies including: increased recyclability; developing sensors to identify metals and separation technologies to sort the waste stream; and establishing materials sensors, processes, and controls to achieve greater tolerance of scrap metal input for downstream recycling processes. Materials recovery and recycling research would be multi-disciplinary involving physics, mathematics, computer science, economics, management sciences, materials science, mechanical engineering, and electrical engineering. Generic science and technology developed by the center could have applicability in metallic alloys while providing economic and societal benefits. Energy savings and avoidance of pollution represent a compelling reason to establish this center as well as interests from a broad societal need throughout the supply chain involving scrap yards, disassembling companies, municipal waste centers, shredding companies, smelters, foundries, and consumers.