Sorting electronic waste by particle type: Our approach in SPRIN-D’s Tech Metal Transformation Challenge
Critical raw materials in electronic waste often go unused in conventional recycling processes because they are present only in low concentrations. In SPRIN-D’s ‘Tech Metal Transformation’ challenge, we are therefore developing a completely new approach. This involves sorting e-waste on a particle-by-particle basis. What this could mean for European industry.
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A discarded smartphone is full of rare earth elements (critical raw materials (CRM)). However, no conventional recycling process can extract them cost-effectively. Existing methods often rely on the use of acids or other chemical substances, which are not only expensive to dispose of but also consume a great deal of energy. This is precisely where our solution comes in.
As the ‘Dust to Metal’ team, we are part of SPRIN-D’s ‘Tech Metal Transformation’ challenge. Here, we explain what this challenge requires of us and why we are shredding electronic waste down to the size of dust particles.
What is SPRIN-D, and what is the challenge all about?
SPRIN-D is Germany’s Federal Agency for Breakthrough Innovations. It does not fund minor improvements, but rather technologies with genuine breakthrough potential. To this end, individual challenges are put out to tender.
The ‘Tech Metal Transformation’ challenge has a clear objective: to develop an integrated prototyping system that transforms the metal content of at least two complex electronic waste products into functional, marketable metal products. It will run for three years in three phases, with a decreasing number of teams and increasing funding:
Level | Teams | Funding |
|---|---|---|
Level 0 | 60 Teams | Application period |
Level 1 | 8 Teams | up to 5 Mio. € |
Level 2 | up to 6 Teams | up to 2 Mio. € |
Level 3 | up to 4 Teams | up to 2,5 Mio. € |
We have now reached Level 1 and are currently among the eight remaining teams. Whether we progress to Level 2 will be decided at a pitch in early December.
Our contribution: Dust to Metal
Whilst the other teams are focusing primarily on chemical and biological approaches, our project is based on a simple fundamental idea: not just dismantling electronic waste into components, but sorting it down to the size of a speck of dust. In this way, we extract the critical raw materials precisely from where they would previously have been virtually lost.
Our approach therefore builds seamlessly on our existing systems. With X.Sort, we remove electronic waste and batteries from material streams where they do not belong. This gives us access to end-of-life electrical equipment that is currently being disposed of incorrectly, thereby causing fires and preventing it from being recycled. Recent studies show that only around 50 per cent of electrical appliances are disposed of correctly. Thanks to X.Sort, the remaining 50 per cent are now returned to the correct material stream. This has once again given us valuable access to this increasingly sought-after raw material.
With Vision.Sort, we are taking it one step further: using an optical camera, the various components of the e-waste are separated from one another. SPRIN-D’s involvement then provides the next step towards the finest particle sizes. Conventional sorting technology breaks down at around 3 mm. From this size onwards, different physical forces suddenly come into play, making the process significantly more difficult. We are now taking the first steps beyond this limit.
How it works:
We shred electronic waste down to particle/dust size, thereby producing pure particles.
AI-based sensors detect and identify each particle individually and sort them into the correct fraction.
The sorting process takes place without the use of chemicals or melting.
As a result, significantly more raw material is recovered than is lost or contaminated in conventional processes (biometallurgy, hydrometallurgy or pyrometallurgy).
Which CRMs can our technology integrate with?
This new approach opens up entirely new markets. The beauty of this technology is that our AI can be adapted to almost any conceivable source material.
To begin with, we will focus on:
Removal of impurities and contaminants (e.g. plastics, aluminium, mercury)
Enriched CRM powder from rare earths that are not currently recycled (e.g. tantalum, neodymium)
Production of functional materials such as high-entropy alloys for the direct sintering of new products (e.g. the ‘Canto’ product family)
A number of industry players in the metallurgy sector have already expressed an interest in the technology and the materials produced.
The benefits of our approach
It quickly becomes clear why when you look at the benefits of our new technological approach:
Minimal energy consumption: purely mechanical separation with very low power consumption; energy-intensive hydrometallurgical steps are eliminated, and contaminants (plastic, aluminium, mercury) can be removed in advance.
No toxic waste: no residues as with leaching or pyrolysis; rare earths are concentrated for subsequent processes, which is what enables this technology to tap into new sources of raw materials and facilitate CRM recovery in the first place.
Flexible output: the sorting process can be freely adjusted to the target material; direct production of virtually any functional materials and alloys (e.g. HEAs) for applications in aerospace or motorsport.
Why this matters for the whole of Europe
This technology could benefit not only the recycling industry, but ultimately the whole of Europe. This is because Europe’s supply of raw materials – particularly in the case of rare earths – is heavily dependent on other countries such as China. It is precisely this imbalance that we could eliminate using what we already have: electronic waste.
Rare earths and other critical metals are contained in billions of end-of-life devices, but they are so finely dispersed that they have so far fallen through the net. Changing this would also change the extent to which Europe remains dependent on raw material imports.
“We didn’t start this just to sort rubbish a bit better. If it works, it will transform the entire supply chain for critical raw materials in Europe,” says Johannes Laier, co-CEO and co-founder of WeSort.AI.
A glimpse into the future
WeSort.AI’s next goal is now to build a first-of-its-kind sorting plant capable of processing more than half of the electronic waste generated in Europe. And to do so in a highly flexible manner, without high energy costs or toxic waste. In this way, we aim to make a significant contribution to Europe’s strategic independence.
We’ll find out in early December whether this takes us through to the next phase. Until then, we’ll be sharing updates here in the News section and on LinkedIn on how the idea is being turned into a working system.
If you’d like to find out more about the technology, or are interested in potentially adopting a system like this, simply send us a message.
