Nanoscale design of 1D metal oxides derived from mixed Ni-MH battery/transition metal dust.

Abstract

Controllable recycling of End-of-life rechargeable nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries and by-products of steelmaking to added-value functional nanostructures is desired but challenging. The present work introduces an innovative and high-yield microrecycling strategy to simultaneous synthesis of TM alloy (i.e., Ni-based superalloy) and RE oxide (REO) nanostructures from obsolete Ni-MH batteries mixed with zinc-rich electric arc furnace dust (EAFD). This strategy involves integration of high-temperature thermal isolation followed by thermal nanowiring techniques. The impure thermally-isolated REOs were purified and transformed into one dimensional (1D) nanorods of hybrid REOs. Besides, during high-temperature thermal isolation, defect-rich ZnO with tailored structures of nanorods and nanoribbons were fabricated using controllable vapour deposition. The electrochemical performance of ZnO nanoribbons for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) revealed a considerable overpotential reduction of 131 mV (18%) compared to pure commercial nano-ZnO. This approach is transformational in providing a scalable and cost-effective pathway to facilitate recycling of the challenging, yet critical, waste materials into functional nanostructures for energy and environmental applications.

• Authors: Samane Maroufi, Rasoul Khayyam Nekouei, Sajjad S Mofarah, Veena Sahajwalla
• Journal: Journal of hazardous materials (J Hazard Mater) Vol. 415 Pg. 125645 (Aug 05 2021) ISSN: 1873-3336 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 33740716 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V.