Hydrogen Tech World December 2022 | Page 33

[ recycling ]
Fig 7 . Sustainable recycling of PGMs and fluoropolymer
PEMFCs and ECs has been obtained at the University of Southern Denmark . The unique electrochemical process is carried out at mild condition , requires minimal energy input , delivers high recovery efficiency ( 99 %), involves a flexible process , and has possibilities for further customization . An example of efficient catalyst-dissolution route 15 utilizing redox property of metallic elements is illustrated in Figure 5 . A number of intellectual properties have been established in this area . After several generations of optimization , the process is industrially friendly and scalable .
In collaboration with industrial partners , a closed-loop circular economy was validated , 16 where PGMs from end-of-life fuel cell and electrolyzer MEAs were successfully recycled and showed competitive catalyst performance compared to commercial equivalents , but only at a fraction of the cost of the primary production .
One of the major advantages of this recycling technology is its material selective treatment , which leaves the highly valuable membrane component unharmed during the recycling process ( Figure 7 ). This opens wide possibilities to recover additional value from used MEAs , which will further reduce overall MEA cost , secure material supply , improve system Key Performance Indicator ( KPI ) and strengthen the competitiveness of the PEM industry .
Sustainable recycling – an inevitable shortcut to boost hydrogen technologies !
References
1 . U . S . Geological Survey Fact Sheet 087 – 02 . 2 . EU Science Hub – Raw Materials Information
System . 3 . ’ PGM Market Report , May 2021 ’, Johnson
Matthey . 4 . Energies 9.12 ( 2016 ): 1008 . 5 . ‘ World Energy Outlook 2018 ’, IEA . 6 . Platinum Metals Review 56.1 ( 2012 ): 29 . 7 . https :// www . chemengonline . com / newfrontiers-metals-recycling / 8 . Recycling of Precious Metals from Fuel Cell
Components . 9 . Energy Conversion and Management 48.2
( 2007 ): 450 – 453 .
10 . Hydrogen and Fuel Cells : Fundamentals , Technologies and Applications ; John Wiley & Sons Ltd .: Bognor Regis , UK , 2010 . 11 . Hydrometallurgy 160 ( 2016 ): 79 – 89 . 12 . Angew . Chem . Int . Ed . 51.7 ( 2012 ): 1684 –
1688 . 13 . Minerals Engineering 87 ( 2016 ): 18 – 24 . 14 . J . Electrochem . Soc . 159.11 ( 2012 ): F779 –
F786 . 15 . Electrochim . Acta 321 ( 2019 ): 134662 . 16 . J . Electrochem . Soc . 166.13 ( 2019 ): F963 – F970 .
About the author
Shuang Ma Andersen holds a PhD in chemistry and the positions of Principal Investigator , Project Manager , Board Member and Associate Professor at the University of Southern Denmark . Shuang is passionate about developing groundbreaking solutions to tackle bottlenecks of renewable energy technologies , especially in the areas of material development , degradation mechanism , mitigation strategy , recycling technology and circular economy . Shuang has been active in the field for the past 18 years , with a unique vision of research trends , privatepublic collaboration , communication and technology transfer .
Hydrogen Tech World | Issue 7 | December 2022 33