Project duration: 1 January 2020 – 31 December 2022
Objective
The EU is dependent on imports of PGM for the manufacturing of Catalytic Converters (ACC). ACC using 100% recycled PGM and copper substitution underpins a EU Key Enabling Technology that will be scaled-up to TRL7. The consortium comprises three industrial partners covering the full value chain from ACC collection to production and industrial validation and the intent is to start manufacturing CEBRA ACC within three years after the end project.
The solution (technology)
Platinum Group Metals (PGM) represent key EU critical metals and, production being virtually non-existent in Europe, the EU is entirely dependent on export from geopolitical sensitive areas as South Africa and Russia, the main producing countries which are responsible for 75 to 80% of the PGM world mine supply. On the demand side the main applications are autocatalysts (ACC) which represent by far the largest consumer with a 53% market share in Europe. Other important applications in decreasing order of importance include jewelry, investment, followed by electrical, chemical and dental applications respectively. The CEBRA project focuses on the dual objective to manufacture ACC integrating 100% recycled PGM, while simultaneously decreasing the PGM quantity via partial substitution by a low-cost and politically less sensitive transition metals such as copper. End-customers, such as PV owners as well as commercial vehicle operators, will benefit from the resulting price optimization while a broader societal impact is expected from the alleviation of the two main disadvantages. The CEBRA project clearly targets an innovation by developing an EU Key Enabling Technology (advanced materials) through the upscaling and merger of two Process Innovation Technologies. As a result the project is perfectly well suited for educational purposes and will promote PhD students and offer several educational events, notably for professionals from R&D and industrial sector. The project will also focus on regional and local awareness through wider society learning programs which are essential given that efficient PGM recycling in the EU is jeopardized by insufficient collection and inappropriate pre-treatment of PGM bearing material.
Partnership
- Centro Ricerche Fiat S.C.p.A. (CRF – C.R.F.), Italy
- Comet Traitements SA, Belgium
- Tecnalia Research & Innovation Foundation, Spain
- Université de Liège, Belgium
- Monolithos Ltd (Lead Partner), Greece