Copper-decorated CNTs as a possible electrode material in supercapacitors

Copper is probably one of the most important metal used in the broad range of electronic applications. It has been developed for many decades, and so it is very hard to make any further advances in its electrical and thermal performance by simply changing the manufacture to even more oxygen-free conditions. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) due to their excellent electrical, thermal and mechanical properties seem like an ideal component to produce Cu-CNT composites of superior electrochemical performance. In this report we present whether Cu-CNT contact has a beneficial influence for manufacturing of a new type of carbon-based supercapacitor with embedded copper particles. The prepared electrode material was examined in symmetric cell configuration. The specific capacity and cyclability of composite were compared to parent CNT and oxidized CNT

Optimizing metal recovery from EAF dust: A comprehensive approach beyond the Waelz kiln process

The Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) process is predominantly used for recycling steel scrap, generating EAF dust at approximately 10-20 kg per ton of steel. This dust is rich in valuable metals like iron and zinc, in addition to metal oxides such as lead, manganese, nickel, and chromium. The DustRec project endeavours to recover all these elements, offering a comprehensive alternative to the traditional Waelz kiln process, which primarily focuses on zinc recovery. The project employs magnetic separation to initially divide dust samples into magnetic and non-magnetic fractions, followed by gravity separation to further refine these into heavy and light fractions. This detailed classification enables targeted processing of each stream through tailored pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical methods, according to their specific compositions. Throughout the project, numerous EAF and cupola furnace (CF) dust samples were collected from various sources, with the most suitable samples selected for advanced reprocessing. Separation based on particle size yielded diverse outcomes. The subsequent hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical treatments of these fractions resulted in significant metal recoveries

Active Carbon Modified by Rhenium Species as a Perspective Supercapacitor Electrode

We have reported the synthesis of a new kind of composite combining a rhenium precursor and active carbon. Similarly to other refractory metals, rhenium exhibits several oxidation states that makes it an ideal candidate for redox-type energy storage materials. A simple impregnation of pretreated active carbon with ammonium perrhenate allowed to produce an electrode material with an enhanced specific capacitance. There was not any observed detrimental effect of metal species on the cycle life of the electrode. A small increase in charge transfer resistance was counter-balanced by the improved impedance in the whole examined range