Experimental study of novel melt-processing methods for recycled aluminium alloys

Project Description

Proposal Summary: The proposal is for a 3.5 year PhD studentship jointly funded by DLS and the University of Hull. The project will study the fundamentals of separation and neutralisation of multiple impurity elements in recycled aluminium materials via novel melt processing techniques. The proposed work includes advanced real-time in-situ and thermodynamic studies on the fundamental issues, and laboratory- scale demonstration of technological approaches for sustainably recovering aluminium alloys eco-friendly and energy-efficient way. Aluminium alloys, after steels, are the second most widely-used and strategically important metallic materials in the world. At the moment, Europe and the UK rely heavily on imported primary aluminium to meet market demands. Reliance on primary aluminium could be significantly reduced by the use of recycled Al in high performance applications. Increased recycling is also vital for meeting government targets for the sustainable exploitation of natural resources and the reduction of CO2 emissions. The technological challenge is that most recycled Al alloys have neither the quality nor the properties needed for high performance structural applications. The project will address the challenge by investigating methods for processing aluminium scrap so that it can be used to make alloys for transportation and construction use.