Studies and evaluations about recovery of transitional metals from spent catalysts - MERCATU

Finance Agreement no 763/2006

The project proposes the improvement of processing methods of wastes and extraction of precious metals from these ones as well as establishing new performance technologies in this way.
The significant results will be applying in the activity of microproduction of the involved research-development, to the beneficiary (respectively the wastes provider) or centralized by creating one single unit of processing at national level (the optimal way). On international plan, there are important efforts for recovery of precious metals from spent auto catalysts and industrial catalysts from pyrometallurgical processes and transport in gaseous phase. Large quantities of spent nickel catalysts are available from fertilizer, petrochemical, vegetable oil and other industries. Disposal of spent catalyst is a problem as it falls under category of hazardous industrial waste. The recovery of metals from these catalysts is an important economic aspect as most of these catalysts are supported catalyst usually with alumina / silica with varying percent of industrially important element nickel, in the reference catalysts alone; nickel concentration varies from 2.5-20%.
Metals like Rh, Pt, Pd, Ni, Cu, Co etc., are widely used as a catalyst in chemical and petrochemical industries. They are generally supported on porous materials like alumina and silica through precipitation or impregnation processes. After periodical use of the catalysts, due to poisoning effect of foreign material and impurities, which deposit on the surface of the catalyst, they will become inactive. In such cases, fresh catalysts have to be substituted and the spent catalyst will be discarded as waste material.
Disposal of such catalyst materials, which contains appreciable amounts of heavy metals, is environmentally hazardous. Therefore, a suitable and economically viable method is required for recovery of metals at the same time method should not pose the risk of environmental hazards.
For the researches, it is expected obtaining new and improved materials. The obtained results will be patented, intellectual property being divided between the members of the Consortium, according with each contribution. The complexity and importance of the proposed activities and, also, the excellence in the field of each partner, are coming to sustain this project, which fits perfectly in the European, and national program objectives.