Toxic-Free Method Extracts 99.99% of Gold from Electronic Waste
The circuit boards inside your old phone may seem worthless, destined for the trash heap. But to a team of researchers at Cornell University, they are a treasure trove—literally.
Led by postdoctoral researcher Amin Zadehnazari, the team has unveiled a major recycling breakthrough: a chemical-free method for extracting most gold from electronic waste, or e-waste, and using the recovered precious metal to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into valuable organic materials.
Their approach offers a compelling solution to two environmental challenges: the growing mountain of discarded electronics and the urgent need to mitigate CO2 emissions, a major driver of climate change.
Using building blocks rich in sulfur, the team synthesized a COF capable of selectively capturing 99.9% of gold from discarded circuit boards, leaving behind other metals like nickel and copper. This sulfur-rich COF offers durability too, retaining its efficiency even after 16 cycles of reuse.
When the COFs are applied to e-waste (typically in the form of dissolved circuit board materials), the gold ions in the solution are adsorbed onto the COF surface. This process, known as chemical adsorption, involves the binding of gold ions to the sulfur atoms on the COF.
See more here Zmescience.com
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Dave
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“mitigate CO2 emissions, a major driver of climate change.”
100% BS, CO2 is good for the plants and trees, it does not cause the Fictitious “Climate Change”.
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Charles Reichart
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Right you are Dave!
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Wilson Sy
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What is a COF? No definition.
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Howdy
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COF: Covalent Organic Frameworks
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D. Boss
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The article is either lying or completely ignorant of the facts. It states the process is “chemical free” and “non toxic”. Then it proceeds to indicate this new material adsorbs gold ions from solution.
Duh, gold is only soluble in aqua regia, a mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acids! Well it can also be dissolved in cyanide compounds too. Either way this newfangled adsorption material is most certainly associated with chemicals, very SERIOUS ones and those chemicals are most assuredly toxic and must be dealt with after the gold recovery.
And ironically the cyanide methods are safer than using aqua regia….
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