Yang Kou, Nikolaev Konstantin G, Li Xiaolai, Erofeev Ivan, Mirsaidov Utkur M, Kravets Vasyl G, Grigorenko Alexander N, Qiu Xueqing, Zhang Shanqing, Novoselov Kostya S, Andreeva Daria V
School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
Institute for Functional Intelligent Materials, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117544, Singapore.
Adv Sci (Weinh). 2025 Jan;12(1):e2408533. doi: 10.1002/advs.202408533. Epub 2024 Nov 6.
Electronic waste (e-waste) contains substantial quantities of valuable precious metals, particularly gold (Au). However, inefficient metal recovery leads to these precious metals being discarded in landfills, causing significant water and environmental contamination. This study introduces a two-dimensional (2D) electrode with a layered graphene oxide membrane functionalized by chitosan (GO/CS). The GO/CS membrane acts as an ion-selective layer and demonstrates capabilities in the electrochemical extraction and reduction of Au ions. The multiple functional groups of GO and CS offer high cooperativity in ion extraction and reduction, achieving 95 wt.% extraction efficiency within 10 min. The simultaneous extraction and electrocatalytic reduction of Au ions within the membrane leads to the formation of ready-to-use metallic Au forms such as chips and sensors. Such an approach eliminates the processing steps required to convert extracted gold into functional products, reducing time, cost, and energy. This direct formation of usable Au components enhances the efficiency of the recovery process, making it economically viable and environmentally sustainable. The gold mining market is projected to be valued at $270 billion by 2032, with the recycling segment reaching $10.8 billion, highlighting the substantial benefits and economic potential of efficient e-waste recycling technologies.
电子垃圾（电子废弃物）含有大量有价值的贵金属，尤其是金（Au）。然而，低效的金属回收导致这些贵金属被丢弃在垃圾填埋场，造成严重的水污染和环境污染。本研究介绍了一种二维（2D）电极，其具有经壳聚糖功能化的层状氧化石墨烯膜（GO/CS）。GO/CS膜作为离子选择性层，并展示出在电化学提取和还原金离子方面的能力。GO和CS的多个官能团在离子提取和还原方面具有高度协同性，在10分钟内实现了95重量%的提取效率。膜内金离子的同时提取和电催化还原导致形成易于使用的金属金形式，如芯片和传感器。这种方法省去了将提取的金转化为功能产品所需的加工步骤，减少了时间、成本和能源。这种直接形成可用金组件的方式提高了回收过程的效率，使其在经济上可行且环境可持续。预计到2032年，黄金开采市场价值将达到2700亿美元，回收领域将达到108亿美元，凸显了高效电子垃圾回收技术的巨大益处和经济潜力。
