Marie Amélie Perrin and Victor Mougel have been awarded the Spark Award 2024 for their groundbreaking method of recycling rare earth elements from electronic waste. The technology, developed at ETH Zurich, enables efficient recovery of these essential materials, which are critical for modern electronics and the energy transition.
Rare earth metals are found in devices such as flat-screen monitors, fluorescent lamps, and wind turbine generators, but their recycling has been challenging due to their chemical similarity. Traditional methods require significant energy and chemicals. Perrin, an ETH doctoral student, and her supervisor, Mougel, have created a method that addresses these issues, earning recognition as the most promising invention of the year.
The jury praised the invention for its potential to make electronic waste a valuable resource, reducing reliance on external suppliers. “If our electronic waste becomes a resource and no longer ends up at landfills, our dependence on external procurement sources will decrease,” said Olivier Enger, Senior Innovation Manager at BASF and a member of the jury.
The researchers have already founded a start-up, Reecover, to commercialize their innovation. “Having completed my doctoral studies one week ago, I can now concentrate entirely on developing the start-up,” said Perrin, expressing gratitude for the recognition and the opportunity to focus on expanding their project.
The award was presented at ETH Zurich’s Industry Day, held at the Zurich Convention Center during Open-i, an innovation-focused event. This year’s Industry Day attracted over 1,000 participants and featured more than 80 talks and 90 exhibition stands. Jeannine Pilloud, Head of ETH Zurich’s Partnership for Innovation, called the event “a complete success,” underscoring the event’s significance in showcasing cutting-edge advancements.
Article Source:
Press Release/Material by ETH Zurich
Featured image credit: kjpargeter | Freepik
