Electronic waste, commonly known as e-waste, poses a significant environmental challenge, as it contains valuable metals that are often difficult to extract. A new study from the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) offers a promising solution to this problem, using textiles to significantly improve the efficiency of gold recovery from e-waste.
Traditionally, adsorbents have been used to recover metals from e-waste, but these materials face challenges in terms of underwater control and environmental pollution. The researchers at KIST developed textile adsorbents made of polyacrylonitrile, which can be easily manipulated underwater and shaped into different forms. To enhance their stability and gold recovery performance, they attached alkaline molecules to the fibers.
The results were remarkable. The fiber method demonstrated a gold recovery efficiency of over 99.9 percent, even in the presence of other metals. Additionally, the fibers remained highly effective after multiple uses, maintaining a gold recovery rate of 91 percent after 10 uses. This reusable nature further enhances the sustainability of the process.
The researchers believe that their method could revolutionize the recycling of electronic waste, reducing Korea’s dependence on resource imports and mitigating the environmental impact of this growing waste stream. They plan to continue their research to expand the scope of metal recovery beyond gold, further contributing to the circular economy and responsible waste management practices.