Examining polymer matrix composite materials created from end-of-life vehicle materials recycled with Argonne's innovative two-stage materials recovery process.

Process Engineering and Analysis Facilities

• State-of-the-art intermediate-scale high-temperature furnace facilities
  These facilities provide the capability to test and evaluate process innovations for the primary steel, aluminum and magnesium industries. Research is being conducted on the development of carbon-free inert anodes for aluminum and magnesium. A breakthrough process concept for electrolytic carbon-free steelmaking has just recently been proven.

• Pilot-scale Electrodialysis Chemical Plant
  This facility is the only plant of its’ kind in the world. Originally, the plant was built to demonstrate a new process for concentrating salts from the brine solutions generated in the aluminum recycling industry. The plant has recently been modified and is being used to commercially demonstrate a novel electrodialysis process for the manufacture of an agricultural chemical. (factsheet; 101 kB pdf)

• Pilot-scale Materials Separation/Recycling Facility
  This facility was originally built to demonstrate the economic feasibility of a process to recover flexible urethane foams from shredder residues. The facility includes large-scale bulk separation equipment and a full-scale froth flotation system for recovering plastics for recycling. This facility has recently been upgraded to serve as the demonstration plant on a major collaborative project for recovery of automotive plastics and other materials in partnership with the Vehicle Recycling Partnership of USCAR and the American Plastics Council. (factsheet; 611 kB pdf)

July 2009