Mohammad Reza Bilesan / Department of Purification and Separation Technology； Lappeenranta University of Technology； Lappeenranta； Finland.
Eveliina Repo / LUT
Bjorn Wickman / Chalmers University of Technology
Although hazardous cyanide- and nitric acid-based leachates are the most prevalent electrolytes for the gold recovery industry, an environmentally friendly process could open a new era for the worldwide feasibility of gold recovery from the e-wastes in their local area. Combining porous 3D-printed anode electrode in an alkaline 1.5 m NaOH media and graphite cathode electrode in acidic media within the thin-film compartments of an advanced flow reactor can create a high-efficiency electrochemical recovering process. The versatility and feasibility of additive manufacturing can create a high catalytic active Ti-6Al-4V metal mesh anode electrode with a large volumetric area and suitable gas release characteristics. Furthermore, a synthetic Cu-Au acetic acid-based solution plus 1.5 m HCl and 0.6 m H2O2 was used as the acidic electrolyte. This study evaluates the viability of gold recovery in an electrodialysis flow reactor by the cyclic voltammetry method. According to the results, the electrodeposition of gold applies to the graphite cathode. More importantly, there would not be any chlorine gas or other toxic gas generation on the anodic side. Thus, the larger current window of the advanced flow reactor and its green approach opens a new path for the electrochemical recovery technologies and applications for the e-waste.