Design of a recycling method for treated aluminum fuel

Abstract

An experimental study was performed to characterize the waste byproduct of a high energy density aluminum fuel in order to identify an effective recycling method. A sample of fuel waste was generated and viewed under a scanning electron microscope. The sample was then subjected to an energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis which focused on points of interest identified by the scanning electron microscope. The results of the imaging and analysis showed that gallium and indium, which are used in the fuel manufacturing process, are randomly scattered around the reacted aluminum waste. These metals were found in their elemental form, meaning they do not react alongside the aluminum fuel. As such these metals can be recovered by suspending them in water and using mass differences to isolate them from the remainder of the waste.