Separation of Cast and Wrought Aluminum during Recycling to Increase Recycled Content in Automotive

This joint project between PNNL and ANL aims to investigate the feasibility of low-cost, color-based methods to separate cast and wrought (sheet, extrusion, forgings) aluminum from a mixed automotive shredded scrap sold for recycle. Color-based methods will exploit the different chemistries of cast and wrought aluminum and their responses to chemical or electrolytic etching. PNNL will develop the chemical/etching treatment parameters to induce selective color changes. The materials will then be sent to ANL for automated optical sorting. The goal is to achieve >90% separation efficiency. Successful separation of cast and wrought will enable recycling of the wrought scrap back into the wrought parts, significantly reducing their embodied energy and CO2 emissions.