Food Waste Aerogel Efficiently Recovers Gold from E-Waste

Date:6 Feb 2024

Country: Switzerland

Application

• E-waste recycling: Efficiently recovers gold and other valuable metals from electronic waste using sustainable materials.

Description

Researchers developed a protein-based aerogel from food waste, specifically whey protein, to recover gold from e-waste. This aerogel has exceptional porosity and selectivity, adsorbing three times more gold per gram than activated carbon. The method is cost-effective and environmentally friendly, producing high-purity gold nuggets. The team is exploring other food waste proteins for similar recycling applications.

Pathway Description:

The researchers created a protein-based aerogel by dissolving whey protein in an acidic solution and heating it to unravel the proteins into strands. The solution was then freeze-dried, forming a lightweight, porous aerogel. When exposed to an e-waste solution, the aerogel selectively adsorbed gold ions, leaving other metals behind. The gold was later recovered by burning the aerogel, producing high-purity gold nuggets.