IUCRC Phase III: Worcester Polytechnic Institute: Center for Resource Recovery and Recycling (CR3)

资源回收和再循环中心 (CR3) 是一个多机构 IUCCRC，专注于地球物质资源的可持续管理。随着进入第三阶段，CR3 将在第一阶段和第二阶段的成就的基础上推进可持续技术，在整个制造过程中回收、再制造和再利用所有类型的材料。这些进步将有助于降低能源成本并提高各个工业部门的盈利能力，同时保护自然资源和环境。 2020 年全球材料使用量约为 90 Gt，并且在未来 40 年内可能达到 170 Gt。将这些材料转化为商品的制造业需要能够更有效地实现这种转化，同时产生更少的生产废物和消耗更少的能源的技术。处理生产和消费后废物的回收行业需要更清洁和有利可图的方法。支持材料回收和可循环性的研究是多学科的，必须满足整个供应链中多个商业利益相关者的需求。 CR3 将两所拥有材料科学和工程专业知识的领先大学（伍斯特理工学院和科罗拉多矿业学院）与资源回收和再循环领域的关键组成部分联合起来，共同开发全面的工业技术转让途径。 CR3 的研究工作涉及产品制造废物、消费后废物、仪器、传感器和控制装置、拆卸设计和变废为宝。 CR3主要关注钢铁、有色结构金属、轻金属、稀土、能源材料和光伏金属、高值难熔金属和电子材料等重点行业。这些部门未满足的关键工业需求正在推动该中心的以下研究重点：（a）聚合物材料的再制造和使用，（b）环境可持续的材料回收，（c）减少碳和水足迹，（d）当前材料的低成本替代品，以及（e）自然资源枯竭。 CR3 的研究项目利用了两个学术机构的核心和支持技术能力。伍斯特理工学院 (WPI) 为该中心带来了包括热力学和动力学建模、湿法冶金和电冶金、物理冶金和无机化学在内的能力。 能力还包括物理、化学和机械性能测试、增材制造以及传感器和测量设备应用开发。 WPI 带来了生命周期评估 (LCA) 和环境影响评估、商业可行性评估、机器人技术、分拣技术和工业 4.0 概念方面的能力。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The Center for Resource Recovery and Recycling, CR3, is a multi-institution IUCRC that focuses on sustainable stewardship of the earth’s material resources. As it enters Phase III, CR3 will build on its Phase I and Phase II accomplishments to advance sustainable technologies that recover, remanufacture, and reuse all types of materials throughout the manufacturing process. These advancements will help reduce energy costs and increase profitability for a variety of industrial sectors, while protecting natural resources and the environment. Materials use in 2020 is approximately 90 Gt globally, and is likely to reach 170 Gt in the next forty years. The manufacturing industry that converts these materials into commodities needs technologies that enable this conversion more efficiently while generating less production waste and consuming less energy. The recycling industry that processes the production and post-consumer wastes needs methods that are cleaner and profitable. Research supporting materials recovery and recyclability is multidisciplinary and must respond to the needs of a multiplicity of commercial stakeholders across the supply chain. CR3 brings two leading universities with expertise in materials science and engineering (Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Colorado School of Mines) together with key constituents in the resource recovery and recycling area to develop comprehensive technology transfer pathways to industry. CR3 research efforts address product manufacturing waste, post-consumer waste, instrumentation, sensors and controls, design for disassembly and conversion of trash to treasure. The primary focus of CR3 is on key sectors of iron and steel, non-ferrous structural metals, light metals, rare-earths, energy materials and photovoltaic metals, high value refractory metals and electronic materials. Key unmet industrial needs in these sectors are driving the following research thrusts for the Center: (a) polymeric material remanufacturing and use, (b) environmentally sustainable materials recovery, (c) reduction of the carbon and water footprint, (d) low-cost alternatives to current materials, and (e) natural resource depletion. CR3's research projects utilize core and supporting technical competencies across both academic sites. Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) brings competencies to the Center that include thermodynamic and kinetic modeling, hydrometallurgy and electrometallurgy, physical metallurgy and inorganic chemistry. Competencies also include physical, chemical, and mechanical property testing, and additive manufacturing, as well as sensor and measurement device application development. WPI brings competencies in life-cycle assessment (LCA) and environmental impact assessments, commercial feasibility assessments, robotics, sorting technology, and industry 4.0 concepts.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.