TMS2025 welcomes the eighth installment of the REWAS conference series, which will focus on the Circular Economy for the Energy Transition. This unique, transdisciplinary conference covers the latest technical and societal developments enabling sustainability within our global economy with a special focus on Recycling and Waste management. This year’s conference, co-located with TMS2025, will feature five technical symposia. Browse the listing of planned symposia below.
REWAS 2025 is sponsored by the TMS Recycling & Environmental Technologies Committee
REWAS 2025 Keynote Presentations
"Recycling of Lithium-Ion Batteries Cathode Material Using Supercritical Fluid Extraction"
Coming soon
Presenter: Gisele Azimi, University of Toronto
Date: Monday, March 24
Time: 8:35 a.m.
Location: MGM Grand, Room 117
About the Presentation
About the Presentation
This study focuses on recycling valuable metals from NMC black mass in end-of-life lithium-ion batteries. We developed a method using supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) as a solvent, combined with a tributyl phosphate-nitric acid adduct and hydrogen peroxide as the chelating agents. Hydrogen peroxide enhances the extraction by converting metals into more soluble forms in SC-CO2. Various operational factors for supercritical fluid extraction (temperature, pressure, adduct to solid ratio, H2O2 amount) were optimized using factorial design experiments. Comprehensive analysis of samples before and after treatment provided insight into the process mechanisms. Under optimal conditions, the SCFE achieved over 90% efficiency in extracting valuable metals. This research adheres to green chemistry principles, using carbon dioxide as a safer solvent alternative to hazardous acids. This talk presents a sustainable method for recycling black mass, offering a cleaner alternative to conventional industry practices.
"Advancing Circular Economy: Copper Recovery from E-Waste at Aurubis' New US Facility"
Waseem
About the Presentation
Aurubis, a global leader in metal recycling, employs innovative processes to recover non-ferrous metals from electronic waste, industrial by-products, and copper-bearing scrap. Central to Aurubis's mission is sustainability, as the company strives to minimize reliance on primary resources by reintroducing valuable metals like copper into the supply chain, thereby fostering a circular economy that reduces carbon footprints and resource depletion. This presentation will focus on the Aurubis Richmond facility in the United States, a billion-dollar investment designed to address the e-waste challenge. By diverting valuable materials from landfills and reintegrating them into production, this facility plays a pivotal role in advancing sustainable material recovery and reducing the environmental impacts of mining and waste disposal in the U.S. Attendees will gain insights into the innovative processes employed to recover metals from a variety of electronic waste.
About the Presenter
Owais Waseem is a senior manager of Research and Development at Aurubis, a leader in copper and precious metals recycling. He is instrumental in establishing the Aurubis R&D department in North America from the ground up. With extensive experience in metallurgy and materials engineering, he plays a key role in improving processes and products while enhancing productivity. Before joining Aurubis, he served as senior manager of metallurgical R&D at KSB, USA, focusing on advanced alloy development, failure analysis, and process optimization. His postdoctoral research at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) advanced the analysis of plasma-material interactions using innovative in-situ techniques for the realization of commercial nuclear fusion-based power plants. He earned his Ph.D. from Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), where his research focused on high-entropy alloys for nuclear fusion applications. He is a pioneer in low-activation high-entropy alloys for fusion plasma-facing applications, merging the fields of high-entropy and low-activation alloys. He developed a patented powder metallurgical method for developing tungsten-based alloys without mechanical alloying and invented an award-winning powder diffusion multiple method for high-throughput alloy development. He has secured multiple domestic and international grants and actively participates in scientific societies, demonstrating his commitment to advancing materials science and metallurgy while fostering collaborations.
Planned REWAS 2025 Symposia
REWAS 2025 will consist of the following symposia: