VINNOVA supports SiCAT and enhanced recycling of platinum

kthforskning

VINNOVA supports SiCAT and enhanced recycling of platinum 

Stricter legislation in cleaning of vehicle exhaust gases was implemented in the late 80ies which forced installation of auto catalysts in all vehicles. In early 90ies ScanArc identified the emerging market of auto catalysts to reach end-of-life within the coming years, catalysts that contained platinum group metals for recovery. ScanArc developed a smelt process to treat these auto cats that resulted in the spin-off and formation of ArcMetal. ArcMetal has since 1993 operated a smelt shop for metal recovery.

Once again in 2002, even stricter regulations forced the introduction of a new type of silicon carbide based auto cat. This time the market has, due to technical reasons, limited potential to recover the metals in these auto cats when they reach end-of-life. So, history has a chance to repeat itself as ArcMetal and ScanArc have identified this market and have developed a solution for metal recovery. The innovation is called SiCAT and is a connection of two thermal processes that creates an opportunity to recover metals from all kinds of ceramic filter mass.

ScanArc and ArcMetals ambition is to demonstrate and commercialize SiCAT. As part of this, ScanArc received funding from VINNOVA within the call “Innovation projects in SME companies”.  The purpose of the call is to support innovative SMEs in the early stages of projects with great potential. VINNOVA is Swedens’s innovation agency.