LCDVal

20/01/2020

Project findings report to EPA: Investigation of Indium Recovery from End-of-life LCDs

Summary: The LCDVal project aimed to illustrate the potential indium value contained in liquid crystal displays (LCDs) accessible via recovery techniques, therefore turning liquid crystal panel waste fractions into a resource for critical raw materials.

20/01/2020

LCDVAL project developing state of art recovery technologies for indium, a critical raw material

This is "LCDVal, Environmental Protection Agency - Ireland, Project - Outcome" by Rama Krishna Chinnam on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the…

20/01/2020

Contact LCDVal team http://lcdval.eu/?page_id=31

20/01/2020

LCDVal Project was funded by Environmental Protection Agency, Ireland

The Raw Materials Research Group at the University of Limerick would like to acknowledge and thank the EPA for their funding and support regarding this research

20/01/2020

International linkages to LCDVal Project

20/01/2020

Congratulations to all team members for successful completion of LCDVal project at University of Limerick.

Dr. O’Donoghue is a Ph.D. Scientist who has received the Young Entrepreneur of Year Award, Molex-Kriebel Award for Innovation in Global Business and Technology and the JCI Outstanding Young Person of the Year Award in Science and Technology in Ireland. Dr. O’Donoghue holds a first class honours ...

20/01/2020

LCDVal Objectives and Targets:

To unlock CRM content specifically indium from waste LCDs & increase the range and yields of this raw materials [measurement: achieve mg/kg glass (Metric) recovery of CRM; Indium tin oxide].

The research group previous ran a desk based study on “Indium recovery from LCDs” which is investigated the amount of indium present in different LCDs and reviewed the readily available techniques for indium recovery. LCDVAL will build on the knowledge based from desk based study and take the research a step future by conducting lab based recovery to optimise the indium recovery and other materials including rare earths as relevant.

To illustrate the automation potential of the hydrometallurgical process [measurement: process map and process animation]

To push Ireland to the forefront in the area of raw materials processing technologies [Measurement: 1 key note speech; publications]

To result in higher economic viability and investment security of processing operations [Measurement: Potential H2020 application]

The solution begins in work package 1 with the collation of the current research activities and desk based studies the research team at University of Limerick into a comprehensive literature review of CRM recovery techniques, database and surveys. This report will be distributed among the steering committee members and reviewed with key industry to guide on the selection of an optimised recovery methodology. The chosen hydrometallurgy based processes will then be trialled in work package 2 and understanding gained on how to optimise the process to maximise CRM recovery. The result of the trials will be reported and key influencing factors on the recovery rates and efficiencies will be specified. An evaluation of the process from an environmental perspective will also be undertaken. The potential to automate the process will be investigated in WP3 and process layout and model of the system developed as relevant to the findings. The commercialisation viability of the process will be investigated in work package 4 and exploration of European funding to take the technology to pilot stage.

LCDVAL aims to illustrate the CRM value contented in LCDs via recovery techniques, therefore turning waste liquid crystal panel waste fractions into a resource for CRM.

20/01/2020

LCDVAL is a research project at the University of Limerick led by Dr. Lisa O’Donoghue researching the potential to access and recover particular metals from Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs) with a specific focus on the Critical Raw Material (CRM) called indium. Indium tin oxide is used as the transparent electrode for the large majority of display technologies and is predominantly sourced from China. Recovering of the metal from end of life LCDs would represent a urban mine and source Europe with an internal supply chain of the key metal. LCDVAL is funded by the Environmental Protection Agency, Ireland.

From a research perspective the focus is towards the Europe 2020 policy: One of Europe 2020’s flagship initiatives is Resource Efficiency which promotes extraction and recycling with the aim of using waste as a resource. It recognises the strategic importance of avoiding risks to supply of resources such as critical Raw Materials (CRM) which are contained within modern electronic equipment. CRM materials which are contained within the liquid crystal displays (LCDs) have been classified as such according to the Critical Raw materials for the EU, EC reported the update CRM list in September 2017. The liquid crystal panel once removed from the LCD display is a stand-alone component which contains two glass panels coated in CRM compounds (indium tin oxide) sandwiching liquid crystals. This liquid crystal panel has potential for urban mining for these critical materials which can be used in next generation display technology.

LCD’s are used in applications ranging from small displays on machines up to 100-inch TV screens. TVs alone are purchased at a rate of 200 million per annum globally. The volume is staggering. This means CRM are required for the production of this devices but also potential available from end of life devices.
http://lcdval.eu/