SDU Explores Chemical-Free Metal Recycling for 3D Printing

Associate Professor Mohammad Malekan at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) has received a Sapere Aude Research Leader grant to explore the direct conversion of industrial metal by-products into powders suitable for metal 3D printing. Manufacturing operations in Europe generate substantial amounts of metal chips and scraps, which are often disposed of at a cost. This project seeks to determine if this discarded material can be transformed into feedstock for additive manufacturing.

Existing metal scrap recycling methods typically require extensive purification due to contaminants like oils and lubricants. Malekan's research challenges this necessity by examining how "dirty powders," such as chips from CNC machining, influence the quality and performance of 3D printed components. The core of the investigation is to ascertain if these materials can be utilized without extensive chemical cleaning, which could lead to simpler, more cost-effective, and environmentally friendly recycling processes.

This research aligns with Europe's growing focus on supply chain resilience and localized, circular manufacturing. By enabling companies to reprocess their own scrap internally, the project could enhance supply security and foster a more circular economy, reducing reliance on imported raw materials. The initiative integrates materials science, advanced 3D printing, numerical simulation, and artificial intelligence, with machine learning to predict defects and understand the impact of impurities on material properties.

The grant will support a postdoctoral researcher, a PhD student, and a research assistant, enabling the establishment of a dedicated research environment. While SDU's project focuses on minimizing chemical intervention, other companies are already commercializing scrap-to-powder recycling. However, the SDU initiative specifically aims to address the challenge of recycling without costly purification, a gap that remains largely unsolved in the industry.