Practical trainings, student assistants and theses

Physical separation and recovery of valuable metals from the printed circuit boards fine dust production waste (Id 456)

Master theses

Summary: Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) are an essential part of electronic devices and often contain substantial quantities of valuable and precious metals (20%) along with huge amount of organics (70%). While recycling of these end life electronic or production waste (EEW), copper is obtained as a major metallic component along with precious metals such as gold, silver, palladium, and platinum in the alloy phase. The organics are base and filler materials form PCB such as epoxy resins, fire retardants and fibers. During PCB manufacturing, processing, or disposal, dust generated may contain these valuable metals. Such fine dust (20 - 75 µm) makes recovery of precious metals and separation from organics challenging. Separating and analyzing these precious metals from PCB dust can offer economic benefits and reduce environmental harm. Present thesis work will focus on detailed feed analytics of the fine fractions. Physicochemical and particle based methods for metal identification, extraction, and refining will be designed and developed. The right combination of techniques will depend on the specific metal composition, particle size, and concentration of the precious metals in the dust. This will help in valorize fine dust based hazardous waste using circular economy approach.
In this thesis project, at HIF, HZDR (Department of mineral processing) we will pursue the innovation along following steps:
1. Pre-processing of PCB dust (Splitting and Sieving)
2. Initial Characterization in order to know about the size distribution, elemental assay, present phases using (LD, ICP-AAS, OES, XRF, SEM, CT)
3. Apply analytical separation techniques (gravity separation)
4. Liquid –liquid particle extraction- optimization of the process
5. Froth flotation- e.g. reverse froth flotation- optimization of the process
6. Leaching of concentrated fractions and recovery of Cu and other possible metals
7. Final characterization of recovered fractions (LD, TGA, ICP-AAS, OES, SEM, XRF and CT)
8. Conclude with optimizing the economical process for recovery

Department: Processing

Contact: Dr. Patil, Suvarna Ajay, Ahn, Sohyun, Dr. Rudolph, Martin

Requirements

  • Educational background: Chemcial engineering, Process engineering or related field
  • Knowledge of mechanical separation processes, basic laboratory skills, or analytical techniques (such as TGA, ICP, XRF, CT)
  • Good English skills
  • Ability to work independently

Conditions

  • Duration: 6 months
  • Start date: as soon as possible
  • Workplace: Freiberg

Online application

Please apply online: english / german

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Sample preparation for both XRF and (handheld) LIBS measurements (Id 455)

Bachelor theses / Master theses / Diploma theses

X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF) is a standard method to analyse a wide range of elements. Unfortunately, light elements (Z<11) are hard or impossible to analyse using XRF. On the other hand, LIBS (Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy) is able to analyse these elements. Especially the analysis of Lithium in solid samples is an urgent and currently needed topic. We aim to combine the two methods by developing an integrated workflow using fused beads, which is a standard technique for XRF sample preparation, for XRF analysis of the major elements and subsequent LIBS analysis for elements like e.g. Li.
Besides the development of a simple procedure to produce fused beads appropriate for both methods, calibration for both XRF and LIBS have to be implemented. The outcome of this (Master’s, Bachelor’s) thesis should be a as simple as possible workflow (including sample preparation), a sufficient number of reference materials (by e.g. mixing pure components), calibrations for XRF and LIBS, respectively and an evaluation of the desired method’s limitations. Motivated students of analytical chemistry, geosciences or adequate subjects are addressed.

Department: X-ray and bulk analytics

Contact: Dr. Möckel, Robert, Ebert, Doreen, Dr. Renno, Axel

Online application

Please apply online: english / german

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Bachelor student (m/f/d) Characterization of binding, mutation and amplification properties of single phages (Id 452)

Student practical training / Bachelor theses / Compulsory internship

Within the FINEST project, the phage surface display was used to identify phages that potentially bind to different types of plastic. In order to carry out further experiments, the respective phage clones must be amplified and tested for their binding properties. Phage clones can have different amplification rates and mutation rates which can distort the results of the binding studies of the individual phage clones and lead to a false evaluation of the phage clone. The aforementioned properties are to be investigated in the advertised work using basic molecular and microbiological methods.

Department: Pep2Rec

Contact: Harter, Sonja Dorothea, Dr. Lederer, Franziska, Dr. Schönberger, Nora

Requirements

  • Ongoing studies in biotechnology, molecular biology, biochemistry, biology or a related natural science degree program
  • Practical experience in the basics of molecular biology
  • Interested in working independently after instruction
  • Independent, conscientious way of working

Conditions

  • Possible start from February 2025
  • Duration according to study regulations or at least 3 months
  • Presentation and written report on work and results
  • Laboratory language: English

Online application

Please apply online: english / german

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Selective Separation of Platinum Group Metals by Sequential Transport through Supported Liquid Membranes (SLM) using Task Specific Organic Carriers from Secondary Waste Streams (Id 449)

Master theses / Diploma theses / Compulsory internship

Platinum group metals (PGMs), particularly rhodium (Rh), palladium (Pd), and platinum (Pt), are regarded as the "vitamins" used in the modern industry. PGMs are crucial components of fuel cells, jewelry, computers, cell phones, automobile catalysts, etc. Their distinct physical and chemical characteristics, such as their corrosion resistance, chemical inertia, and catalytic activity, account for their extensive application and create alloys to enhance the characteristics of other transition metals. Because of their unique properties, PGMs are seldom replaced with other elements or compounds in applications. However, PGM deposits in the earth's crust are limited. The utilization of secondary resources, such as recycling waste materials, could mitigate the issue of PGM scarcity. Several conventional methods have been used for recovering PGM from secondary sources. Among the separation technologies, membrane separation offers the continuous and selective recovery of individual PGMs with no adverse environmental effects.
Supported liquid membranes (SLM) are a chemically driven membrane method in which a solvent phase contains an organic ligand that preferentially binds to a metal in the feed solution. The metal-ligand combination is subsequently diffusively carried across the membrane support and discharged into the receiving phase. This approach is particularly useful for metal ion separation because the organic carrier generates lipophilic metal-organic ligand complexes. This continuous permeation technique combines extraction and stripping procedures with less chemical reagents. The objective of the thesis work deals with the employment of task-specific organic ligands as carriers in the supported liquid membrane system for the selective recovery of platinum group metals from secondary source leachates and understanding the transport mechanism using different mathematical modeling approaches.

Department: Process Metallurgy

Contact: Dr. Patil, Ajay Bhagwan, Dr. Kelly, Norman, Kantamani, Rama Swami

Requirements

  • Conduct literature research on supported liquid membranes using various organic carriers and their applications in metal recovery
  • Design and conduct laboratory experiments using supported liquid membrane studies using task-specific organic carriers with several parameters such as pH, concentration, the thickness of membrane, feed solutions, etc.
  • Analyse and interpret data on membrane selectivity, flux rates, fouling resistance, and metal recovery efficiency
  • Optimize experimental conditions targeting high recovery rates for Platinum, Palladium, and Rhodium
  • Prepare a thesis report and present findings at conferences or workshops

Conditions

  • Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Environmental Engineering or related field
  • Knowledge of hydrometallurgical processes and membrane separation technologies
  • Knowledge of analytical techniques such as ICP-OES, AAS, or similar for metal concentration analysis
  • Duration: 6 months
  • Start Date: Start in 2025 is possible
  • Funding: Remuneration according to HZDR internal regulations

Online application

Please apply online: english / german

Druckversion


Investigation and Optimization of Membrane Filtration Process for Optimal Recovery of Metals and Acids (Id 447)

Bachelor theses / Master theses / Diploma theses

Vanadium and manganese are essential in high-strength steel alloys, battery technologies (notably vanadium redox flow batteries), and various chemical processes. Due to their industrial significance, recovering these metals from residual wash water along with leaching acids promotes environmental and economic sustainability. This study aims to Investigate and optimize a membrane filtration (nanofiltration) process for the selective recovery of vanadium and manganese, along with acid reclamation, from both acid raffinate and residue wash water solutions. The research evaluates the performance of various membranes focusing on their efficiency in concentrating vanadium and manganese while minimizing the co-permeation of iron, calcium, and other minor elements.
The objective of the work is to develop a process yielding a concentrated solution rich in vanadium and manganese for further precipitation, solid-liquid separation and hydrometallurgical steps, ultimately facilitating the recovery of vanadium as vanadium pentoxide (V₂O₅). The outcomes will offer valuable insights into the design and operation of membrane filtration systems for recovering critical metals and leaching agents from industrial effluents, supporting sustainable resource management practices in the metallurgical industry.
In addition to metal recovery, this research addresses acid reclamation following solvent extraction (SX) and supported liquid membrane process, with the goal of reducing chemical consumption. Acid recovery from the raffinate will be also explored, with organic contaminants removed via sorbents, such as activated charcoal. The reclaimed acid can then be recycled back into the leaching circuit, establishing a more sustainable process loop.

Department: Process Metallurgy

Contact: Dr. Kelly, Norman, Kantamani, Rama Swami, Viswamsetty, Lakshmi Kanth

Requirements

  • Educational Background: Bachelor's / Master’s degree in Metallurgical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Environmental Engineering or related field
Preferred Skills:
  • Knowledge of hydrometallurgical processes and membrane separation technologies
  • Basic laboratory skills and familiarity with equipment for Nano filtration, filtration testing, and solution analysis
  • Knowledge of analytical techniques such as ICP-MS, AAS, or similar for metal concentration analysis

Conditions

  • Conduct a literature review on nanofiltration technology and its application in metal and acid recovery
  • Design and carry out laboratory experiments with selected nanofiltration membranes, focusing on variables like pressure, pH, and concentration
  • Analyze and interpret data on membrane selectivity, flux rates, fouling resistance, and metal-acid recovery efficiency
  • Optimize filtration conditions through experimentation, targeting high recovery rates for vanadium and manganese
  • Prepare a comprehensive thesis report and, if possible, present findings at relevant conferences or workshops
  • Duration: 6 months
  • Start Date: Start in 2025 is possible
  • Funding: Remuneration according to HZDR internal regulations
  • Supervision and Support: The candidate (f/m/d) will be supervised with regular guidance, training on laboratory protocols, and support in analytical techniques

Online application

Please apply online: english / german

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