PARCOVAL · PAlladium Recovery for CO2 VALorisation

Critical Raw Materials (CRM), incl. Platinum-Group Metals (PGM), are key to enable Europe to meet its 2030 climate and strategic autonomy objectives. Global demand is constantly growing for CRM, the diversification of EU supply is thus imperative to reduce dependencies and improve EU capacity to rely on sustainable value chains. PARCOVAL’s aim is to leverage the recognised catalytic capabilities of radioactive PGM (specifically the palladium -Pd) to demonstrate their potential for use and market. PARCOVAL will create 2 circular loops from 2 wastes: 1) recover Pd from spent nuclear fuel (today vitrified and considered a nuclear waste) and 2) reuse the CO2 produced by an existing industry.Pd will be extracted from streams generated in a spent nuclear fuel recycling plant and valorised as catalyst to perform CO2 electroreduction into CO. Performances achieved into CO conversion will be compared between radioactive Pd and natural Pd catalyst at industrial scale (100cm2 electrodes integrated in electrolyser). Catalytic mechanisms involved will be studied to explain the contribution of radioactive radiation during CO2 reduction. The CO2 will be supplied by industrial production units of anaerobic digestion.Focus will be on the characterisation of the CO generated and the non-radioactive gas contamination to consider a transfer into a non-nuclear environment plant will also be demonstrated. A use case to valorise the CO will be studied to produce succinic anhydride which can be incorporated in polyesters through copolymerisation.PARCOVAL will conduct a Life Cycle Analysis to compare environmental impacts of using radioactive Pd and mining extracted Pd to produce succinic anhydride. Moreover, a preliminary business model will be performed and the market potential of target group will be defined. PARCOVAL will also issue best-practice framework to ensure the safety and security of PGM use in the industry, including radioprotection, traceability and collection after use.