Project description
Reclaiming rare earths from e-waste
Rare earth elements (REEs) are essential to clean technologies. However, they are becoming more and more difficult to secure due to limited recycling and unstable global supply chains. As such, the EU relies on imports of REEs. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the EFESTO4EU project aims to create sustainable technologies to extract REEs from end-of-life products. The project uses ionogels, which are ionic liquids immobilised on silica gel, to create a recyclable solid-liquid system that facilitates effective REE recovery. Specifically, it integrates thermodynamics and materials science to open the door to environmentally friendly, circular solutions in the recovery of critical raw materials.
Objective
Raw materials are pivotal in realizing the United Nations' '2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development' and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Among these critical raw materials (CRMs), are of strategic importance to the EU's economy. However, they face significant supply risks, particularly Rare Earth Elements (REEs), vital in emerging clean technologies. Dependence on REE imports, coupled with geopolitical instability, has driven price spikes, prompting the need for recycling.
Currently, no commercial recycling operation exists for end-of-life (EoL) products and their REE content, potentially exacerbating supply-demand imbalances. Recycling CRMs offers environmental benefits, reducing mining's impact, enabling multiple CRM recovery from a single device, and minimizing habitat disruption and water pollution. EFESTO4EU project seeks to advance scientific understanding and develop innovative materials for metal extraction, primarily focusing on recycling REEs from real EoL products using environmentally sustainable technologies. The proposed method involves extracting REEs from the leachate resulting from the pre-treatment and dissolution of EoL products. This process employs a solid/liquid system, utilizing Ionic Liquids (ILs) immobilized on silica-based gel to form a material referred to as ionogel. Subsequently, these ions are released and reclaimed, allowing for the reuse of ionogel in successive cycles. The project has a strong interdisciplinary approach going from material synthesis to solution thermodynamics. To ensure the successful implementation of these project goals, I will conduct my research at Swiss Federal Laboratories (Empa) and University of Udine (Italy), under the guidance of Dr. Wim Malfait and Prof. Andrea Melchior, leading scholars. This project will prepare me to become a tenured scholar and obtain advanced funding, strengthening my academic profile and allowing me to establish my own research group.
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-GF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
33100 Udine
Italy
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.