HARMEN ZWIJNENBERG (UT)
PhD project
Supervisors: Walter van der Meer (UT, promotor), Jeffery Wood (UT), Joris de Grooth (UT)
Duration: 2019-2023
Funded by TKI HTSM, private partners and UT in Connecting Industry program
Selective recovery of valuable minerals from ‘waste’ streams such as wastewater represents an opportunity to enhance the sustainability of chemical processes. Membrane technology using ion-exchange membranes allows for transport of ions against bulk concentration gradients and for concentrating ions of interest. We will investigate the selective ion-recovery using different membrane geometries, operating conditions, ion-mixture composition under various process configurations. The research carried out in this project will allow for more sustainable chemical processes through recycling of valuable ions currently lost in waste streams.