CORNELL University researchers have developed a new method of extracting gold from electronic waste, which can then be used to convert CO2 into organic compounds.
The method, described by the researchers as a “win-win for the environment,” uses crystalline polymers to selectively extract gold ions and nanoparticles from waste central processing units (CPUs). The polymers were able to recover more than 99% of the waste’s total gold, while only extracting 5% of the nickel and 2% of the copper.