Greener energy by recycling metals!
WASHINGTON: A Cardiff University research team is working towards creating greener energy by recycling precious metal like platinum from road dusts and vehicular exhausts.
Platinum is a rare metal and is used in fuel cells. Now, Dr Hazel Prichard and her team from the School of Earth Ocean and Planetary Science are working towards finding locations where platinum is concentrated enough to allow viable recovery and re-use in fuel cells.
“Platinum is a vital component not only of catalytic converters but also of fuel cells. Fuel cells are an important new source of clean energy. Platinum is a precious metal and resources are scarce and expensive. Our research is looking at ways of recycling platinum and other precious metals,” said Dr Prichard.
As catalytic converters, which are currently used to keep exhaust pollutants from vehicles down to an acceptable level, use platinum, and as several kilograms of platinum get sprayed onto streets and roads every year, the team believes waste containers in road-sweepers might be good source for this rare metal waste.
The research is being presented at the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition.
Source:The Times Of India