Platinum recycling going green via induced surface potential alteration enabling fast and efficient dissolution

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Sustainable Chemistry

Background:

• Precious metal recycling, particularly for platinum, is crucial for sustainability in industry and energy.
• Current platinum leaching methods are hazardous, relying on high reagent consumption (e.g., aqua regia) and extreme conditions.
• Developing eco-friendly and efficient platinum recycling techniques is an ongoing challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate a new, sustainable method for the complete dissolution of metallic platinum.
• To explore an electrode-less process for platinum recycling that avoids hazardous reagents and high temperatures.
• To investigate the transient dissolution mechanism for platinum recovery.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing induced surface potential alteration through alternatively oxidative and reductive gases.
• Implementing an electrode-less process that triggers transient dissolution via repetitive changes in platinum surface oxidation state.
• Conducting dissolution in non-toxic, low-concentrated acid at room temperature.

Main Results:

• Complete dissolution of metallic platinum was achieved.
• The process operates without external electric current or electrodes.
• Effective performance was demonstrated in mild, non-toxic acidic conditions at room temperature.

Conclusions:

• The developed electrode-less method offers a sustainable and efficient approach to platinum recycling.
• This transient dissolution mechanism presents a significant advancement over traditional hazardous leaching techniques.
• The process has the potential to enhance the sustainability of recycling industrial catalysts, especially platinum-based systems.