New method turns e-waste to gold

Amin Zadehnazari, a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of food chemistry professor Alireza Abbaspourrad, said this approach could provide sustainable use for some of the approximately 50 million tons of e-waste discarded each year, only 20 percent of which is recycled and ingredient-based.

Zadehnazari synthesized a pair of vinyl-linked covalent organic frameworks (VCOFs) for removing gold ions and nanoparticles from circuit boards of discarded electronic devices. One of his VCOFs was shown to selectively capture 99.9% of gold and very small amounts of other metals, including nickel and copper, from the device.

“Then we can use gold-laden COF to convert CO₂ into useful chemicals,” Zaidnazari said. “By converting carbon dioxide₂ Converted into value-added materials, we not only reduce the need for waste disposal, but also provide environmental and practical benefits. It’s a win-win for the environment.

Abbaspourrad is corresponding author and lead author of Zadehnazari’s book “Recycling E-waste Into Gold-loaded Covalent Organic Framework Catalysts for Terminal Alkyne Carboxylation,” published in Nature Communications.

E-waste is a veritable gold mine: It is estimated that a ton of e-waste contains at least 10 times more gold than a ton of the ore from which it is extracted. With e-waste expected to reach 80 million tons by 2030, finding ways to recycle precious metals is becoming increasingly important.

Traditional methods of recovering gold from electronic waste involve harsh chemicals, including cyanide, which pose environmental risks. Zaidnazari’s method is achieved without hazardous chemicals, using chemical adsorption – the sticking of particles to surfaces.

The research utilized the Cornell Materials Research Center and the Cornell Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Facility, both funded by the National Science Foundation.