CHEMISTRY FOR EEE STREAM

MODULE 3
CORROSION SCIENCE AND E-WASTE MANAGEMENT

Corrosion is a destructive attack of a metal by its environment either directly or by

electrochemical phenomenon. It can also be defined as “The spontaneous destruction and
consequent loss of a metal or alloy due to chemical or electrochemical attack by the
environment”
The most familiar examples are
1. Rusting, the formation of iron oxides is a well-known example of electrochemical
corrosion. When iron metal is exposed to the corrosive environment, the metal forms a
loosely adherent product of hydrated ferric oxide called rust.
2. When Cu is exposed to the corrosive environment it forms an adherent green coloured
product of basic cupric carbonate.
Corrosion of metals or alloys occurs in two ways- either by direct chemical attack or
electrochemical attack by the corrosive environment.
Direct chemical attack is reaction of metals directly with corrosive medium to form
corresponding product in the absence of moisture. This type of corrosion is known as dry
corrosion.
Most of the metals and alloys undergo corrosion by following electrochemical attack in the
presence of moisture or a conducting medium. This type of corrosion is known as wet corrosion.

Electrochemical theory of corrosion

Electrochemical theory explains the wet corrosion, i.e. corrosion in presence of moisture.
Electrochemical theory tells that corrosion of metals takes place due to the formation of anodic
and cathodic regions i.e. small galvanic cells on the same metal surface or when two different
metals are in contact with each other in the presence of a conducting medium. At anodic region
oxidation takes place and metal dissolves and get converted it to ions, liberating electrons. At the
cathode region, reduction takes place. We know that metals cannot be reduced further, metal
atoms at the cathode region are unaffected by the cathodic reaction. Only the surrounding
atmosphere undergoes reduction by accepting the electrons.
This specify that only anodic region or a metal/alloy acting as anode undergoes corrosion
where as cathodic region or metal/alloy acting as cathode remains unaffected.
Corrosion reactions
We know that a metal or region which is more active will undergo corrosion i.e. it will
undergo oxidation. Reactions at anode are simple in which metal is converted in to its
corresponding ion.
At anode (oxidation reaction): M → Mn+ + ne-
At anode: Fe → Fe+2 + 2e-

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The reactions at cathode are more complicated, (reduction reaction) depends on the
nature of the corrosive environment. Common reactions are of two types

1. Hydrogen liberation type 2. Oxygen absorption type

1. Hydrogen liberation type of reactions takes place only in the absence of dissolved oxygen
a. If the medium is acidic, the reaction is
2H+ + 2e-→ H2↑
b. If the medium is alkaline/neutral, the reaction is
2H2O+2e-→2OH-+ H2↑
2. Oxygen absorption type of reactions takes place in the presence of dissolved oxygen
a. If the medium is acidic, the reaction is
2H+ + ½O2 + 2e-→H2O
b. If the medium is alkaline/neutral, the reaction is
H2O+½ O2 + 2e-→2OH-
The products formed at anode and cathode diffuses towards each other through conducting
medium and form a corrosion product between the anode and cathode.
Net reaction: 2Fe+2 +4OH- → 2Fe(OH)2
anodic area Cathodic area

Fe → Fe+2 + 2e- -----> Fe(OH)2<-------- H2O+½ O2 + 2e-→2OH-

In the presence of excess of oxygen Fe(OH)2 is oxidized to rust.

2Fe(OH)2+ ½ O2 → Fe2O3.2H2O
(Rust)
In the limited supply of oxygen Fe(OH)2 is oxidized to magnetic oxide which is
commonly known as black rust.
3Fe(OH)2+½ O2→Fe3O4.3H2O
(black rust)

Factors affecting the rate of corrosion

Ratio of anodic to cathodic areas
The rate of corrosion is directly proportional to the ratio of area of cathode to the area of anode.
i.e.,
Rate of corrosion α area of cathode/ area of anode

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Higher the value of this ratio, greater is the rate of corrosion. When the metal undergoes
corrosion, liberated electrons from anode are consumed by cathode. When anode is small and
cathode is large all the electrons liberated at anode, are rapidly consumed at the cathodic region.
Therefore, the rate of anodic reaction is greater and increases the extent of corrosion. If cathode
is smaller than anodic region, electrons liberated by anode are not readily consumed by cathodic
region so it reduces the corrosion rate.
Example:
i. Galvanized iron: Small crack produced on zinc coating will expose the iron material. This
exposed iron material will act as cathode and the whole zinc coating will act as anode
– Rate of corrosion is slow
ii. Tinned Iron: Small crack produced on tin coating will expose the iron material. This
exposed iron material will act as anode and the whole tin coating will act as cathode –
Rate of corrosion is fast
iii. Copper plate fixed with iron nail. In this case iron acting as anode undergoes rapid
corrosion as its area is lesser than copper plate which is acting as cathode.
IRON BOLTS

Nature of the metal

The tendency of metal to undergo corrosion depends upon the nature of the metal. The
extent of corrosion depends upon the position of the metal in the electrochemical and galvanic
series. The metals with lower electrode potential values are more reactive and more susceptible
for corrosion than the metals with higher electrode potential values. The more reactive metals are
more susceptible for corrosion, example K Na, Zn, Fe are more prone for corrosion and the
noble metals like Gold and Platinum are less susceptible for corrosion. Metals showing passive
property like Al, Cr, etc., will have slow corrosion rate.
Nature of the corrosion product
In corrosive atmosphere almost all metals undergo corrosion and form a thin surface film
of metal oxide and the nature of the product layer largely decides the rate of corrosion. If product
formed is uniform, non porous, continuous and stable layer it will act as a barrier between metal
and corrosive atmosphere. This barrier will not allow the corrosive atmosphere to come in
contact with fresh metal, which in turn prevents fresh metal from undergoing further corrosion.
Best common example for this is aluminium, which undergoes corrosion in aerated atmosphere
and forms its oxide layer on the surface, which act as barrier and prevents aluminium from
further corrosion. If product formed is non uniform, porous, non continuous and unstable layer it
will not act as a barrier between metal and corrosive atmosphere. In this case corrosion takes
place continuously. Ex. Iron
Nature of the medium
pH: In general acidic media (low pH) increases rate of corrosion than basic and neutral
medium. The hydrogen ion concentration of the medium plays an important role in rate of
corrosion. For example rate of corrosion of Iron in acidic medium is fast compared to basic

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medium. But some amphoteric metals like Al, Zn, and lead undergo fast corrosion in basic
medium. pH of a solution also decides the type of cathodic reactions.
Conductance: Corrosion current depends on the conducting medium to which the metal is
associated. As the electrical conductivity of medium increases the rate of corrosion also
increases. Higher conducting power of medium facilitates the migration of electrons from anodic
region to cathodic region, which increases the corrosion current. Therefore corrosion rate is
higher in higher conducting medium like sea water.
Temperature: In general, the velocity of a chemical reaction increases with increase in
temperature. Similarly rate of corrosion (redox reaction) also increases with increase in
temperature. Increase in temperature increases the conductance of the corrosion medium which
facilitated higher corrosion rate. Even Passive metal become active at high temperature and
increases the rate of corrosion with increasing temperature. Ex. Caustic embrittlement in high
pressure boilers. In hydrogen liberation reaction at cathode the rate of diffusion of H+ towards
cathode increases with increase in temperature and enhances the rate of corrosion. In oxygen
absorption reaction the solubility of the dissolved gases decreases with increase in temperature,
the rate of corrosion also decreases.

Types of corrosion
Differential metal corrosion
When two different metals are in direct contact with one another and are exposed to a
corrosive conducting medium, the more active metal behaves as anode and suffers from
corrosion, whereas the less active metal becomes cathode and protected from corrosion. The
potential difference between the two metals facilitates the corrosion reaction. This type of
corrosion is also known as galvanic corrosion.

Following reaction stakes place during galvanic corrosion

At anode oxidation takes place:
M → Mn+ + ne-
The reduction at cathode depends on the nature of the corrosive environment mainly it
follows hydrogen evolution or oxygen absorption reaction.
Reduction Reaction:
2H+ + 2e- → H2↑
H2O+½ O2 + 2e- → 2OH-

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4Fe(OH)2+ O2 +2H2O→ 2(Fe2O3.3H2O)

Examples:
1. When Zn and Cu metals are electrically connected and exposed to an electrolyte, Zn (more
active) forms anode and suffers from corrosion whereas Cu (less reactive) forms cathode and
protected from corrosion.
2. Steel screws in a brass marine hardware
3. Steel pipe connected to copper plumbing
4. Lead antimony solder around copper wire
Differential aeration corrosion
This type of corrosion is due to the formation of differential aeration cell or oxygen
concentration cell. When a metal surface is exposed to differential air or oxygen concentrations it
forms differential aeration cell (oxygen concentration cell).The more oxygenated region of the
metal behaves as cathode and less oxygenated region becomes anode. That means less
oxygenated or less aerated region undergoes corrosion.

Reactions are as follows

At less oxygenated region oxidation takes place:
M → Mn+ + ne-
At more oxygenated region reduction takes place
2H2O+ O2 + 4e- → 4OH-
Examples:
1. Partially buried pipeline in soil or water
2. Window rods inside the frame suffer from corrosion
3. Metal under dirt, dust, scale or water undergoes corrosion
4. Part of the nail inside the wall
5. Paper pin inside the paper

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Two common cases of differential aeration corrosion are

a. Water line corrosion
Water line corrosion occurs in which a part of the metal is partially dipped in water.
Consider a steel tank containing water. The maximum corrosion takes place along a line just
beneath the level of water meniscus. The part of the metal below the water line is exposed to
dissolved oxygen (less oxygen concentration)
acts as anode and undergoes corrosion whereas
the part which is above the water line is
exposed to atmospheric oxygen (more oxygen
concentration) acts as cathode, which remains
completely unaffected by corrosion.
Ex. Partially filled metal water tank
Other examples of waterline corrosion are
corrosion of ship hull, partially immersed metallic pipe.

b. Pitting corrosion is a localized accelerated attack in which only small areas of the metal
surface are attacked while the remainder is largely unaffected. This localized attack results in
small pin holes (pits). The pits may initiate and propagate to a certain depth resulting in the
formation of cavities and becomes inactive. This is also a type of differential aeration corrosion.
This type of localized
corrosion is usually created by dirt
deposits, corrosion products, cracks
in paint or protective coatings, etc.
the metal below the deposit is less
oxygenated acts as anode and
undergoes corrosion. Small anodic
and large cathodic area increases
the corrosion rate. Anode area is
covered by the corrosion product
making it less aerated, which also
accelerate the corrosion reaction. The shape of the pit is often responsible for its continued
accelerated growth. Initially formed pits produce conditions which stimulate the autocatalytic
process.
Pitting is very destructive and frequently ruins the metallic instruments, tubes, pipes etc.

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Corrosion Control: Corrosion can lead to countless environmental issues. For example, ships,
tankers and pipelines are often subject to the dangerous effects of corrosion. Corroded water
systems can contaminate drinking water. These serve as threats to the environment and mankind,
so effective corrosion control methods should be implemented to prevent the damaging effects of
corrosion. Corrosion can be completely avoided only under ideal conditions. Since it is
impossible to attain such conditions, it can be minimized by using various corrosion control
methods. They are:

i. Galvanising
a. Metallic coating
ii. Tinning
1. Protective coating
i. Anodizing of Al

b. Inorganic coatings
ii. Phosphating

a. Sacrificial anodic method

2. Cathodic protection

b. Impressed current
method

Galvanization: Anodic coating which is produced by coating more active metal than the base
metal. If any crack or pit is formed on the coated metal, it will act as anode and base metal as
cathode and hence base metal will not corrode. Coating of zinc over iron is anodic coating is also
known as galvanizing. Zinc is more active than iron, which sacrifices itself to protect iron.
Anodic coating of iron is done by Al and Cd also. Since Zn is toxic, galvanized utensils are not
used for cooking or food storing.

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Steps involved in galvanizing are:

 Degreasing: The base metal is washed with organic solvents to remove oil/grease,
 Pickling: The base metal is washed with dilute sulphuric acid to remove scale/rust
 Washing: Then it is washed with water and dried, before coating.
 Flux Treatment: The base metal is treated with NH4Cl and ZnCl2 flux. This is done to
prevent the oxidation of coating metal Zn and also to get adherent coating.
 Hot Dipping process: The base metal is then dipped in a molten bath of Zn (~ 450oC)
 Stripping: The excess of coated metal is stripped off using a pair of hot rollers and cooled
gradually.
Uses: Galvanizing is applied to nails, bolts, pipes, roofing sheets etc.
If any crack is produced on the galvanized sheets, Zn undergoes severe corrosion by protecting
the base metal.

 Anodizing of Al
Anodizing is a process of artificially converting protective passive oxide film on the surface of
metal by electrochemical oxidation. Anodized coatings are generally produced on non-ferrous
metals like Al, Zn, Mg and their alloys by anodic oxidation process. The base metal is made as
anode. It is carried out to produce a porous/nonporous coating.

Current Source

Aluminium Anode
Carbon/graphite cathode (Inert)
(Article
H2SO4to be anodized)
/Chromic Acid/
Phosphoric acid bath

The electrolysis is conducted in an acid bath, at moderate temperature 30-40oC, using moderate
current densities, in which the base metal is made as anode. The commonly used baths are H2SO4
/ Chromic acid / Phosphoric acid /oxalic acid. Lead is generally used as cathode.

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Anode: Aluminum
Cathode: Cu / Steel/Lead
Electrolyte: 5-10 % chromic acid or 10 % H2SO4
Temperature: 35oC
Voltage: 40 V
Current density: 100 A /m2
Steps involved in anodizing of Al are,
 Anodizing: Aluminum is immersed in a tank containing an electrolyte having around 10-
15% sulfuric acid concentration having temperature about 40oC. Electric current is passed
through the electrolyte and the aluminum is made the anode in this electrolytic cell; the
lead is the cathode. Voltage applied across the anode and cathode causes negatively
charged anions to migrate to the anode where the oxygen in the anions combines with the
aluminum to form aluminum oxide (Al2O3).
Reaction at anode,
2Al + 3H2O → Al2O3 + 6H+ + 6e-
At Cathode,
6H+ + 6e- → 3H2
 Coloring: Anodic films are initially porous and non-continuous which is well suited to a
variety of coloring methods including dyeing, both organic and inorganic dyestuffs, and
electrolytic coloring processes.
 Sealing: These pores are sealed by exposing the metal to boiling water. In this process the
metal oxide layer changes into its metal oxide mono hydrate (Al2O3.H2O).
Uses: Anodized articles are used as Tiffin carriers, soapboxes, household utensils, window
frames, etc.
Cathodic Protection:
Cathodic protection is a method in which the base metal to be protected from corrosion is made
to act as cathode and no part of it is allowed to act as anode.
We all know that corrosion of the metal takes place at the anode not at the cathode. Therefore
corrosion of the metal can be prevented by converting all of the anodic (active) sites on the metal
surface to cathodic (passive) sites. Cathodic protection systems protect a wide range of metallic
structures in various environments. Common applications are of cathodic protections are steel
water pipelines and storage tanks, steel piers piles, ship and boat hulls, offshore oil platforms and
onshore oil well casings and metal reinforcement bars in concrete buildings etc.
Cathodic protection may be achieved in either of two ways.
 Sacrificial anodic protection
 Impressed current cathodic

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Sacrificial anodic protection:

Mg

Figure: The steel pipe is connected to a more active Mg block.

In this method the more active metals like Zn, Mg, and Al etc are attached to base metal. The
anodic metals being more reactive undergo corrosion but base metal remains unaffected. The
more active metal so employed is called sacrificial anode and the method is called sacrificial
anode method. The sacrificial anodes have to be replaced from time to time after complete
corrosion.
Examples: The method is used for protecting buried pipeline, ship hulls, industrial water tank
steel rods in RCC columns.
Impressed current cathodic protection:
The metallic structure to be protected is made as cathode by impressing the current from
external source. The direct current is applied in the opposite direction larger than the corrosion
current.
The arrangement for protecting a buried steel tank is illustrated in the figure given below.
The steel tank receives current larger than the corrosion current from a DC power source via an
auxiliary inert electrode buried in the ground. The tank becomes the cathode and the auxiliary
electrode acts as anode. The auxiliary electrodes used are generally inert metals like Graphite.
The structure being cathode will not undergo corrosion and graphite being inert it will remain
unchanged. The anode used is a noble metal or an electrochemically inert material, the
surrounding environment will be oxidized.

Figure: Impressed current method.

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E-waste Management
Electronic Waste or E-Waste describes rejected
electrical or electronic devices. All items of
electrical and electronic equipment and its parts
that have been discarded by the user as waste
without the purpose of re-use or re-cycle is called
Electronic Waste.
Today’s Electronic Gadgets, Tomorrow’s E-
Waste! It’s no secret that E-Waste is increasing
at an alarming rate with each passing day.
Stored used electronics are also considered E-Waste. Improper processing of E-Waste can lead to
dangerous human health effects and environmental pollution.
Any item which is considered as Electronic Waste has a Lifetime Profile which differs for
different categories of Electrical and Electronic devices. Lifetime Profile includes the
information about hazardous quantity present in
discarded items, economic value and the effects
on environment and health of people if they are
not recycled appropriately.
Electronic Waste is dismantled and sorted
manually in developing countries unlike
developed nations which make use of
sophisticated machinery and provides PPE
(Personal Protective Equipment) for the people
who risk their lives in extraction of different
materials from Electronic Waste.

Sources of E-Waste:

Any appliance that runs on electricity has the potential to cause damage to the environment if it
is not disposed properly. Common things of electrical and electronic waste are:
 Large household appliances like refrigerators/freezers, washing machines, dishwashers,
televisions.
 Small household appliances which include toasters, coffee makers, irons, hairdryers.
 Information Technology (IT) and Telecommunications equipment namely personal
computers, telephones, mobile phones, laptops, printers, scanners, photocopiers etc.
 Lighting equipment such as fluorescent lamps.
 Electronic or Electrical tools i.e. handheld drills, saws, screwdrivers etc.
 Toys and sports equipment.

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 Monitoring and control instruments.

 Automatic dispensers.

Causes of E-Waste
The main causes of Electronic Waste are:
 Advancement in Technology.
 Changes in style fashion and status.
 End of their helpful life.
 Not taking precautions while handling them.

Composition of E-Waste
Composition of E-Waste includes materials like:
 Valuable metals like gold, platinum, silver and palladium.
 Useful metals like copper, aluminium, iron etc.
 Hazardous substances like radioactive isotopes and mercury.
 Toxic substances like PCB’s and Dioxins.
 Plastic like High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS), Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS),
Polycarbonate (PC), Polyphenylene oxide (PPO) etc.
 Glass material like Cathode Ray Tube glass made up of SiO2, CaO, Na.
For instance, a mobile phone contains more than 40 elements, base metals such as Copper (Cu)
and Tin (Sn), special metals such as Lithium (Li), Cobalt (Co), Indium (In) and Antimony (Sb)
and precious metals such as Silver (Ag), Gold (Au), and Palladium (Pd).

Effects of E-Waste on environment and human health

The effects of improper disposal of E-waste on the environment pose very real threats and dangers to
the global environment at large. Improper disposal of these wastes affect the soil, air and water
components of the environment.
Effects of E-Waste on Air: When e-waste is disposed of at the landfill, it’s usually burned by
incinerators on site. This process can release hydrocarbons in the atmosphere, which pollutes the air
that many animals and humans rely on.
Furthermore, these hydrocarbons can contribute to the greenhouse gas effect, which many scientists
think is a leading contributor to global warming. In some parts of the world, desperate people sift
through landfills in order to salvage e-waste for money. Yet, some of these people burn unwanted
parts like wires in order to extract copper, which can lead to air pollution as well.

E-Waste Negatively Impacts Soil: E-waste can have a negative effect on the soil. As e-waste breaks
down, it releases toxic heavy metals. Such heavy metals include lead, arsenic, and cadmium. When
these toxins penetrate the soil, they influence the plants and trees. Thus, these toxins can enter the
human food supply, which can lead to birth defects as well as a number of other health complications.

Effects of E-Waste on Water: E-waste that is improperly disposed of by residents or businesses also
leads to toxins entering groundwater.

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This groundwater is what underlies many surface streams, ponds, and lakes. Many animals rely on
these channels of water for nourishment. Thus, these toxins can make these animals sick and cause
imbalances in the planetary ecosystem.

E-waste can also impact humans that rely on this water. Toxins like lead, barium, mercury, and
lithium are also considered carcinogenic.

Effects On Human Health

 Damage to central and peripheral nervous systems, blood systems and kidney damage.
 Affects brain development of children.
 Chronic damage to the brain.
 Respiratory and skin disorders due to bioaccumulation in fishes.
 Asthmatic bronchitis.
 DNA damage.
 Reproductive and developmental problems.
 Immune system damage.
 Lung Cancer.
 Damage to heart, liver and spleen.

E-waste disposal methods

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Advantages of E-waste recycling

1. Save Landfill Space: Electronic waste is being thrown into landfills at an increasing rate each
year. This problem is prevalent not only in the USA, but is quickly spreading around the world.
Throwing e-waste into landfills creates many environmental issues.
For example, the metals used in electronic gadgets such as iron, aluminum, and gold erode and
release harmful toxins in the soil. Similarly, the plastic in these gadgets can release poisonous
toxins into the soil. Toxins of this polluted soil kill all kinds of plants and microorganisms living
on that land. It destroys their ecosystems and worsens the health of the environment. In the
worst-case scenario, the poison spreads in the soil and eventually seeps into water sources.
2. Save Natural Resources: As per studies, 98% of components in an electronic device are
recyclable. Metals extracted through mining require much difficulty and effort. Apart from
mining, the cost to refine metals and transform them to a usable form is also very high. Through
the extraction and reuse of metal from old electronic gadgets, the need to manufacture and refine
raw metals decreases.
Wires and other components of electronic devices made of aluminum and copper can be reused
multiple times. Reutilizing them in other electronic devices means little to no material goes to
waste. Hence, the need to mine, extract and manufacture more metal reduces.
Electronic gadgets have many components made of glass. For example, the screen of any PC,
laptop, television, smartphone, or any other electronic device is made up of high-quality glass.
Manufacturing glass from scratch requires a lot of energy. Manufacturers reuse glass from old
electronics so it does not go to waste. This also saves time and money manufacturing new glass.
3. Increase in Employment: Only experts can deal with electronic waste properly.
Distinguishing between reusable and non-reusable materials is a task that requires a sharp eye
and a lot of product knowledge. There are a lot of jobs in the field of recycling. There are many
experts out there that have professional degrees regarding the recycling of electronic waste.
Increased education about electronics recycling means more people recycle and more jobs are
created.
4. Increases Affordability: In many cases, people want to get rid of an electronic device not
because it has stopped working, but because they want to buy one with the latest technology. If
they give their old gadgets to charity or sell them in a second-hand-shop, other people who
cannot afford to buy new electronic devices can easily buy them.
5. Saves the Environment: Earth gives millions of resources to us every day. Human beings
utilize those resources in such a way that it destroys the environment and hurts the ecosystems of

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Earth. Toxic and harmful poisons are reduced because green gas emissions are decreased and
plastic is not thrown into the sea thereby improving marine life. All the toxic material coming
out of the e-waste is harmful to human beings. These toxins from e-waste are partially
responsible for diseases such as cancer in human beings as well as animals.

Extraction of gold from E-waste

Principle:The principle behind the extraction of gold from e-waste is based on the fact that gold
is a relatively non-reactive metal, which allows it to be recovered from complex electronic waste
matrices through a series of chemical and physical processes.

Experimental procedure:
1. Collection and segregation of e-waste: The first step involves collecting and segregating the
e-waste into different categories, such as computer motherboards, cell phones, and other
electronic devices.
2. Physical separation: The e-waste is physically separated into different components, such as
plastics, metals, and glass.
3. Leaching: The metals, including gold, are leached from the e-waste using a suitable reagent,
such as aqua regia (a mixture of hydrochloric acid and nitric acid), to dissolve the gold.
Au + HNO3 + 4HCl → HAuCl4 + NO + 2H2O
4. Precipitation: The dissolved gold is then precipitated out of the solution through the addition
of a suitable reducing agent, such as sodium metabisulfite.
2H[AuCl4] + 3Na2S2O5 + 3H2O → 2Au + 3SO2 + 3Na2SO4 + 8HCl
5. Purification: The precipitated gold is then purified through processes such as ion exchange,
electro winning, or distillation, to remove impurities and improve its quality.
6. Recovery: The purified gold is then recovered for reuse.

Advantages:
High yield expected.
Faster extraction of gold is possible.

Disadvantages:
Chemicals are used.
Acid residues are not disposed of properly, which harms the environment.

Flow chart:
E-waste (computer motherboards, cell phones, etc.) -> Physical separation -> Leaching (aqua
regia) -> Precipitation (sodium metabisulfite) -> Purification (ion exchange, electrowinning,
distillation) -> Recovery (purified gold)

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Recycling of Battery components

What is Battery Recycling?

Battery recycling is the reuse and reprocessing practice of batteries aimed at reducing the number
of batteries being disposed of as material waste. Batteries contain several poisonous chemicals
and heavy metals and their dumping has attracted environmental concerns due to contamination
of water and soil. As such, batteries need recycling to comply with environmental and health
benefits.
Battery recycling involves processing waste batteries. The goal is to ensure you can re-use them
rather than disposing of them. And this is very important because this reduces the number of
batteries disposed of improperly.
Batteries vary based on their components. These components include lead, lithium-ion (Li-ion),
nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH), nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd), lithium-ion polymer, nickel-zinc, and
alkaline. Producers make different batteries from these components. These batteries may then
differ in use, power, and recycling process.

Recycling Lithium Ion, Nickel Metal Hydride, Nickel-Cadmium Batteries

Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are rechargeable batteries used in cars and electronics. Nickel-
based batteries are also rechargeable and used in vehicles and portable devices like cameras.
These batteries share similarities in the recycling process. They also share some similarities with
lead-acid batteries in the final process of recycling. Here is a detailed step by step process for
recycling lithium and nickel batteries.
Collection: This is the process where recyclers collect used lithium and nickel batteries from
collection points or other locations.
Deactivation: begins with deactivation involving a full discharge to remove the stored energy.
Sorting: In this step, recyclers separate plastic materials in a battery from metal components.
Both materials are perfect for making new products.
Smelting: The components of lithium-ion and the nickel-based batteries undergo what is known
as High-Temperature Metal Reclamation here. Metals in the batteries also undergo leaching,
extraction, crystallization, and precipitation from a liquid solution. Metals like nickel,
manganese, chromium, and iron are gotten in this process and are used to make new products.

Benefits of Recycling Batteries

1. Conservation of Non-Renewable Resources
Recycling batteries makes it possible to save the raw materials that humans cannot replace. For
example, recyclers conserve metals and natural resources by re-using old or waste materials.
This way, other manufacturers can use the resources for further innovations.
2. Recycling Batteries Prevent Pollution
Dumping batteries improperly can cause the chemicals to wash away. The harmful chemicals
may mix with the air, leach into water or the soil. Recycling batteries will prevent contact with
the environment and avoid pollution.
3. Recycling Reduces Solid Waste That Ends Up In Landfills
When you recycle batteries, they can create new products. That way, they don’t have to be
thrown into landfills.

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4. Battery Recycling Saves Energy

Making new batteries consume lots of energy. However, when you recycle old batteries,
manufacturers spend less energy. By recycling, you keep the energy used in making new
batteries. Manufacturers can apply the power to other useful things.
5. Recycling Creates New Jobs
Recycling facilities need people to work through the whole process. As such, through battery
recycling, more jobs are open to people.

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