Rare components in batteries can be sustainably recovered.
Recycling long-life materials such as PTFE still represents a challenge. But a research team in Japan has found a way to convert PTFE into reusable, organic fluorine compounds.
The team exposed the material to a 5 Mega Gray dose of electron beams in a heated environment of 370°C. Treatment that caused the polymer to fully decompose, breaking down the ‘forever chemicals’ into fluorine- and carbon-based gases.
These could then be reused. Compared to procedures like pyrolysis which uses temperatures of 600°C to 1000°C, energy consumption per ton of PTFE was roughly halved. Meaning a reduction of approximately 859kg of CO2.
Canada has also been concentrating on removing ‘forever chemicals’ from water.
