Browsing by Keyword "Recycling"
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Item Collaborative Robots in e-waste Management(2017) Alvarez-de-los-Mozos, Esther; Renteria, Arantxa; Robótica MédicaNowadays manufacturing companies are going through an increasing public and government pressure to reduce the environmental impact of their operations. But when dealing with e-waste, some difficulties arise in classifying and dismantling electronic devices. Manual operations are financially prohibitive and full automation is also discarded due to the lack of uniformity of the disposed devices. A halfway solution is to let a human operator and a robot share the process. The goal of this research is the optimization of the recycling process of electronic equipments, applying both technical and economic criteria, and taking into account the latest developments in collaborative robots.Item Educating T-Shaped professionals to meet substitution challenges and developing business models for substitution and recycling(2018-03-26) Arroyo, Ana; Mendibil Eguiluz, Javier; Cupido Sanchez, Laura; Cupido, Laura Sánchez; Tecnalia Research & Innovation; Policies for Innovation and Technology; VALORIZACIÓN DE RESIDUOSOne strategy to overcome the challenges related to critical raw materials (CRMs) is their substitution and recycling. However, the bright scientific idea, proof of concept or laboratory demonstration need to cross the valley of death in order to become stated as 'a substitute' instead of 'a potential substitute'. Most PhD students and Post Docs specialize within a given thematic area; for example on specific materials or on substitution in a certain application. This specialization could limit the ability to generate innovations and profitable business models if there are not enough tools and skills to transform new knowledge and research results into an appealing value proposition towards customers and to a business opportunity for the current markets. The project proposes a framework for developing substitution and recycling related cross-sectorial skills and tools. These are applied for training business-related competences e.g. teamwork, management, communication, value proposition and business models design, especially within RTOs and industries. The proposed learning itinerary can radically improve the path from scientific proof of concept into innovation and lean start up or industrial market launch. The developed framework is tested by a pilot group having several topics within the areas of substitution and recycling of critical raw materials.Item Influence of Different Stabilization Systems and Multiple Ultraviolet A (UVA) Aging/Recycling Steps on Physicochemical, Mechanical, Colorimetric, and Thermal-Oxidative Properties of ABS(2020-01-01) Fiorio, Rudinei; Villanueva Díez, Sara; Sánchez, Alberto; D’hooge, Dagmar R.; Cardon, Ludwig; Tecnalia Research & Innovation; ECOEFICIENCIA DE PRODUCTOS DE CONSTRUCCIÓNCommercially mass-polymerized acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS) polymers, pristine or modified by stabilization systems, have been injection molded and repeatedly exposed to ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation, mechanical recycling, and extra injection molding steps to study the impact of such treatments on the physicochemical, mechanical, colorimetric, and thermal-oxidative characteristics. The work focus on mimicking the effect of solar radiation behind a window glass as relevant during the lifetime of ABS polymers incorporated in electrical and electronic equipment, and interior automotive parts by using UVA technique. The accelerated aging promotes degradation and embrittlement of the surface exposed to radiation and causes physical aging, deteriorating mechanical properties, with an expressive reduction of impact strength (unnotched: up to 900%; notched: up to 250%) and strain at break (>1000%), as well as an increase in the yellowing index (e.g., 600%). UV-exposition promotes a slight increase in the tensile modulus (e.g., 10%). The addition of antioxidants (AOs) leads to a limited stabilization during the first UVA aging, although the proper AO formulation increases the thermal-oxidative resistance during all the cycles. Mechanical recycling promotes an increase in strain at break and unnotched impact strength alongside a slight decrease in tensile modulus, due to disruption of the brittle surface and elimination of the physical aging.Item Physical-mechanical behaviour of binary cements blended with thermally activated coal mining waste(2015-11-30) Vegas, Iñigo; Cano, Maria; Arribas, Idoia; Frias, Moises; Rodriguez, Olga; GENERAL; Tecnalia Research & Innovation; TRAZABILIDAD CIRCULARThis research work deals with the technical viability of manufacturing new eco-efficient cement blended with thermally activated coal mining waste (ACMW). The physical–mechanical results obtained in the present work showed that the addition of ACMW (up to 20% of replacement) modified the physical and mechanical properties of the blended cement matrices. The blended cements required a great water demand, slightly accelerated settings times and revealed gain in compressive strengths at early curing times. In general terms, blended cements containing up to 20% ACMW meet the chemical, physical and mechanical requirements set out by the EN 197-1 European standard.Item Rare Earths and the Balance Problem: How to Deal with Changing Markets?: How to Deal with Changing Markets?(2018-03-01) Binnemans, Koen; Jones, Peter Tom; Müller, Torsten; Yurramendi, Lourdes; VALORIZACIÓN DE RESIDUOSThe balance between the market demand and the natural abundance of the rare-earth elements (REEs) in ores, often referred to as the Balance Problem (or the Balancing Problem), is a major issue for REE suppliers. The ideal situation is a perfect match between the market demand for and the production of REEs, so that there are no surpluses of any of the REEs. This means that the rare-earth industry must find new uses for REEs that are available in excess and search for substitutes for REEs that have either limited availability or are high in demand. We present an overview of the trends in the applications for the different REEs and show that the demand for REEs for use in magnets, catalysts, and alloys is still increasing, while the application of REEs in polishing agents, glass, and ceramics are stable. On the other hand, the use of REEs in nickel–metal-hydride (NiMH) batteries and lamp phosphors is decreasing. These changes in the REE market have an influence on the Balance Problem, because the REEs that can be recycled from fluorescent lamps, cathode-ray tubes (CRTs), and NiMH batteries have to be at least partly reused in other applications. Magnesium and aluminum alloys offer an opportunity to mitigate the Balance Problem caused by these changes in the REE market. This is illustrated for REEs that can be recycled from fluorescent-lamp phosphor waste, CRT phosphors, and NiMH batteries. At present, five REEs (Nd, Eu, Tb, Dy, and Y) are being considered as very critical by Europe, the United States, and Japan, but we forecast that in the medium term, only neodymium will remain a critical REE. This paper discusses the relationship between criticality and the Balance Problem and shows how this relationship influences the market for specific REEs.Item Regeneration of Exhausted Palladium-Based Membranes: Recycling Process and Economics: Recycling Process and Economics(2022-07-21) Toro, Luigi; Moscardini, Emanuela; Baldassari, Ludovica M.; Forte, Flavia; Coletta, Jacopo; Palo, Emma; Cosentino, Vittoria; Angelini, Fabio; Arratibel Plazaola, Alba; Pagnanelli, Francesca; Altimari, Pietro; Tecnalia Research & Innovation; TECNOLOGÍA DE MEMBRANAS E INTENSIFICACIÓN DE PROCESOSThe aim of the present work is the recycling treatment of tubular α-Al2O3-supported ceramic membranes with a Pd/Ag selective layer, employed in hydrogen production with integrated CO2 capture. A nitric acid leaching treatment was investigated, and recovered ceramic supports were characterized, demonstrating their suitability for the production of novel efficient membranes. The main objective was the metal dissolution that preserved the support integrity in order to allow the recovered membrane to be suitable for a new deposition of the selective layer. The conditions that obtained a satisfactory dissolution rate of the Pd/Ag layer while avoiding the support to be damaged are as follows: nitric acid 3 M, 60 °C and 3.5 h of reaction time. The efficiency of the recovered supports was determined by nitrogen permeance and surface roughness analysis, and the economic figures were analysed to evaluate the convenience of the regeneration process and the advantage of a recycled membrane over a new membrane. The experimentation carried out demonstrates the proposed process feasibility both in terms of recycling and economic results.