Metals are one of the most widely used materials in the world - they are used in cookware, tools, electric appliances, electric wires, computer chips, jewelry and so on. With the growing demand for metal products, it is crucial to promote sustainable and environmentally-friendly methods of recycling metal waste to help reduce the environmental impact of using metals in the economy.
The conventional approaches for recycling metal waste are energy intensive and some of these methods also generate environmentally harmful by-products, such as ammonia and methane during aluminium recycling.
To address this challenge, a team of researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) has demonstrated a new eco-friendly technique to convert aluminium and magnesium waste into high-value, multi-functional aerogels. This upcycling method could be applied to all types of metal waste in power form, such as metal chips and electronic waste.
Read more at: National University of Singapore
A team of researchers led by Associate Professor Duong Hai-Minh (seated, centre) from the National University of Singapore has developed a simple, cost-effective and eco-friendly technique to upcycle metal waste into multi-functional aerogels. Team members are: Goh Chong Jin (seated, left), Ong Ren Hong (seated, right), Nguyen Thai Thien Phuc (back, left) and Goh Xue Yang (back, right). (Photo Credit: National University of Singapore)