Separations And Nuclear Chemical Engineering Research

Research group at the University of Sheffield focusing on the removal and recovery of metals from various waste streams, primarily in the nuclear industry.

Based in the Sir Robert Hadfield Building of The University of Sheffield, our research covers a broad range of topics within the field of chemical engineering. Specific focus is on the removal of metals from industrial wastes, with aims of improving waste disposal routines, reducing the environmental impacts of waste, and recovering value from otherwise discarded materials.

Current research projects can be broken down as follows:

-Development of new functionalised silica nanoparticles to extract radionuclides from nuclear waste streams, and subsequent conversion to glass based waste form.

- Removal of iodine /iodide radionuclides from nuclear wastes by ion exchange methods.

-Developing novel CHON ligand systems for actinide-lanthanide separations and the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel.

- Detoxification of spent pot-lining (SPL) waste from the aluminium industry and recovery of graphite, for electrode reprocessing and fluorspar, for bulk industrial flurochemical production.

- Environmental remediation of mine water discharges through selective metal removal, with interest in process valorisation.

- Development of less toxic leach solutions for gold and silver recovery from activated carbon waste.

- Removal of metals from sewage to enable reuse as fertiliser.