(GR6) Recovery of Rhenium from Superalloy Swarf, Grindings, and Scrap

Author: Morgan Simco

Advisor: Professor Robert Hyers

Category: Graduate

Abstract: Millions of kilograms of superalloy waste is created annually from manufacturing processes and with it, a substantial amount of Rhenium is left over. As a strategic element, Re is of interest to researchers due to its high cost and limited resource availability. Because of these reasons, many avenues have been explored to recover Re as well as other critical elements from superalloy waste. However, current processes being researched to recapture these critical elements lack industrial implementation due to economic or technological feasibility issues. This poster will examine the potential financial opportunity recycling Re could present both globally and in the US. Additionally, this poster will explore which practices have been tried by researchers as well as what successes and pitfalls they had in order to develop a novel recycling process to be tested in the future.

UN SDGs: 

SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production

Video Presentation:

This student has chosen to opt out of the competition portion of the showcase.

Poster Presentation: 

GR6_TMS Poster 2024