Browsing by Author "Habibzadeh, Alireza"

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A Critical Analysis of Pulverization Mechanism During Hydrogen Decrepitation of End-Of Ndfeb Magnets
(Elsevier Science Sa, 2025) Habibzadeh, Alireza; Gokelma, Mertol; 01. Izmir Institute of Technology; 03. Faculty of Engineering; 03.09. Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Given the increasing demand and limited availability of rare earth elements (REEs), innovative solutions are critical to managing supply risks. Recycling is a key strategy in mitigating these risks, particularly for NdFeB magnets, which consume a large portion of REEs. Among the various recycling processes, hydrogen decrepitation (HD) has gained popularity due to its efficiency in producing fine powders for magnet-to-magnet recycling. While the HD mechanism is commonly attributed to hydride formation in the Nd-rich grain boundary phase, this study presents new findings that challenge this assumption. Through the hydrogenation of End-of-Life (EoL) NdFeB magnets at temperatures ranging from 25 to 400 & ring;C, the results indicate that the primary mechanism of pulverization arises from hydride formation in the Nd2Fe14B matrix rather than in the Nd-rich phase, especially at low temperatures where NdH2 formation is kinetically unfavorable. This revised mechanism was supported by evidence from X-ray diffraction, BSE and SE-SEM imaging, particle size analysis, diffusion modeling, and stress analysis.
Citation - WoS: 1
Effect of Mechanical Pre-Treatment on the Recovery Potential of Rare-Earth Elements and Gold From Discarded Hard Disc Drives
(Springer, 2024) Habibzadeh, Alireza; Kucuker, Mehmet Ali; Gokelma, Mertol; 03.09. Department of Materials Science and Engineering; 03.07. Department of Environmental Engineering; 03. Faculty of Engineering; 01. Izmir Institute of Technology
The growing demand for rare-earth elements (REEs) and their limited availability have made REEs critical with high supply risk. E-waste, particularly waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), offers a valuable secondary source. This study assesses the impact of mechanical pre-treatment on the recovery of REEs and gold from discarded hard disk drives (HDDs). We compared recovery efficiencies of REEs and Au using separation techniques, particle sizing, and chemical analyses between two pre-treatment methods: shredding and manual disassembly. Shredding, common in electronic waste processing, leads to oxidation and significant loss of critical raw materials (CRMs), while manual disassembly preserves clean, and non-oxidized NdFeB magnets for magnet-to-magnet recycling. Manually disassembled HDDs were directly analyzed to determine recyclable quantities of REEs and gold. Shredded HDDs underwent sieving, density, and magnetic separation, followed by demagnetization and chemical analysis. Results indicate shredding causes a 73.9% loss of REEs and a 43.8% loss of Au compared to manual disassembly, with increased oxidation due to finer particles. These findings suggest that while shredding is adequate for recovering ferrous and aluminum fractions, manual disassembly is essential for maximizing REE recovery.
Citation - WoS: 4
Citation - Scopus: 4
Microstructural Investigation of Discarded Ndfeb Magnets After Low-Temperature Hydrogenation
(Springer, 2024) Habibzadeh, Alireza; Kucuker, Mehmet Ali; Cakir, Oznur; Gokelma, Mertol; 03.09. Department of Materials Science and Engineering; 03.07. Department of Environmental Engineering; 03. Faculty of Engineering; 01. Izmir Institute of Technology
Due to continuously increasing demand and limited resources of rare-earth elements (REEs), new solutions are being sought to overcome the supply risk of REEs. To mitigate the supply risk of REEs, much attention has recently been paid to recycling. Despite the more common recycling methods, including hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical processes, hydrogen processing of magnetic scrap (HPMS) is still in the development stage. Magnet-to-magnet recycling via hydrogenation of discarded NdFeB magnets provides a fine powder suitable for the production of new magnets from secondary sources. One of the crucial aspects of HPMS is the degree of recovery of the magnetic properties, as the yield efficiency can easily reach over 95%. The amount, morphology, and distribution of the Nd-rich phase are the key parameters to achieve the excellent performance of the magnet by isolating the matrix grain. Therefore, a better insight into the microstructure of the matrix grains and the Nd-rich phase before and after hydrogenation is essential. In this study, a low-temperature hydrogenation process in the range of room temperature to 400 degrees C was conducted as the first step to recycle NdFeB magnets from discarded hard disk drives (HDDs), and the hydrogenated powder was characterized by electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The results show that there are three different morphologies of the Nd-rich phase, which undergo two different transformations through oxidation and hydride formation. While at lower temperatures (below 250 degrees C) the degree of pulverization is higher and the experimental evidence of hydride formation is less clear, at higher temperatures the degree of pulverization decreases. The formation of neodymium hydride at higher temperatures prevents further oxidation of the Nd-rich phase due to its high stability.
Citation - WoS: 33
Citation - Scopus: 38
Review on the Parameters of Recycling Ndfeb Magnets Via a Hydrogenation Process
(American Chemical Society, 2023) Habibzadeh, Alireza; Küçüker, Mehmet Ali; Gökelma, Mertol; 03.09. Department of Materials Science and Engineering; 03.07. Department of Environmental Engineering; 03. Faculty of Engineering; 01. Izmir Institute of Technology
Regarding the restrictions recently imposed by China on the export of rare-earth elements (REEs), the world may face a serious challenge in supplying some REEs such as neodymium and dysprosium soon. Recycling secondary sources is strongly recommended to mitigate the supply risk of REEs. Hydrogen processing of magnetic scrap (HPMS) as one of the best approaches for magnet-to-magnet recycling is thoroughly reviewed in this study in terms of parameters and properties. The processes of hydrogen decrepitation (HD) and hydrogenation-disproportio-nation-desorption-recombination (HDDR) are two common methods for HPMS. Employing a hydrogenation process can shorten the production route of new magnets from the discarded magnets compared to other recycling routes such as the hydrometallurgical route. However, determining the optimal pressure and temperature for the process is challenging due to the sensitivity to the initial chemical composition and the interaction of temperature and pressure. Pressure, temperature, initial chemical composition, gas flow rate, particle size distribution, grain size, and oxygen content are the effective parameters for the final magnetic properties. All these influencing parameters are discussed in detail in this review. The recovery rate of magnetic properties has been the concern of most research in this field and can be achieved up to 90% by employing a low hydrogenation temperature and pressure and using additives such as REE hydrides after hydrogenation and before sintering.