Project: Microwave enhanced recovery of REEs and plastic from WEEE and re-use in Additive Manufacturing of novel magnetic components
| Acronym | MW4REMAM (Reference Number: JTC-2021_237) |
| Project Topic | Rare Earths Elements (REE) are essential materials in connected and electrical technologies, and the transition to a decarbonisation and greener economy, due to their unique properties making them suitable for use in various high tech applications. The main objective of the MW4REMAMproject is to develop an innovative technology for efficient recovery of both rare earth metals and plastics from end-of-life WEEE and urban mines. Then re-use them as raw material for fabrication of plastic-RE composite filaments and create new magnetic components via additive manufacturing. The objective is fully in line with topic 4. Recovery of raw materials from End-of-life products, sub-topic 4.The specific objectives of the project are:Elaboration of a microwave technology enabling to separate and recover plastic and REE from end-of-life NdFeB magnets in WEEE with high efficiency and low environmental impact;obtaining nano and microcrystalline RE powders using mechanochemical processing; obtaining of plastic-RE composite filaments from recycled materials and demonstrate the capabilities to be re-used in additive manufacturing of new magnetic components via fused deposition modelling technology; estimation of the environmental effect of the new technologies, in order to comply with the objectives of Green Deal; aawareness of the great public about the environmental and economic benefits of the recycling of REE from WEEE and the innovative potential of re-use in additive manufacturing of magnets. The proposed project is highly innovative at European level by the two methods that will be developed: plastic; RE recovery by microwave technology as a major step forward in economic and environmental treatment of NdFeB small magnets from WEEE and the re-use of both plastics and RE in micro/nano powders for obtaining filaments for Additive Manufacturing technology (FDM) and the re-design of new magnetic parts by AM. |
| Network | ERA-MIN3 |
| Call | ERA-MIN3 Joint Call 2021 |
Project partner
| Number | Name | Role | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FADDTORY SPRL | Coordinator | Belgium |
| 2 | Institute of Catalysis - Bulgarian Academy of Sciences | Partner | Bulgaria |
| 3 | SIRRIS | Partner | Belgium |
| 4 | Daily Sources and Research Srl | Partner | Romania |
| 5 | National R&D Institute for Nonferrous and Rare Metals | Partner | Romania |
| 6 | Travelec SA | Partner | Belgium |