Valuable Metals Recovery from Fiber Optics Cable

This research will study an efficient method for extracting germanium from waste fiber optics cables. Germanium is widely used in optical fibers, infrared optics, and solar energy industry. Optical fiber is the major application of germanium. Germanium possesses various properties that can make positive impact on these fields. The demand for germanium will increase with the development of 5G networks, and so will the amount of waste fiber optics cables. Germanium is typically refined from zinc concentrates or coal fly ash. However, the amount of germanium in zinc ores or fly ash is so low (less than 3%) that it becomes the main obstacle to efficient recovery and refining processes for germanium. Therefore, it is significant to develop an efficient method for extracting germanium from low concentration conditions. Moreover, we can also utilize the technology to address the anticipated increase in waste fiber optics cables in the future.

Faculty Supervisor:

Mansoor Barati Sedeh

Student:

Partner:

National Cheng Kung University

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Sustainability & the Environment; Environmental Science and Technology

University:

University of Toronto

Program: