Aeramine, in collaboration with Phoenix Scientific Industries (PSI), the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), and other key partners, has announced the successful completion of the Pure CuRE (Pure Copper Resource Efficiency) project.
Funded by Innovate UK, this £1 million, 16-month programme has achieved significant advancements in recycling waste copper into high-purity copper powder feedstock for high-value applications, paving the way for a sustainable UK-based manufacturing supply chain.
Key achievements include demonstrating innovative processes to consolidate, refine, and atomise waste copper, followed by oxygen reduction of the powder, yielding remarkable results:
Cost-Effective Consolidation: MTC briquetting has emerged as the most economical method for consolidating copper waste, enabling competitive pricing of £15-£20/kg for 99.9% purity copper.
Refinement: Aeramine’s vacuum induction melting technology refines copper to an impressive purity of 99.997% while achieving energy savings of over 50% compared to traditional methods.
Atomisation: PSI successfully atomised copper feedstock, resulting in a 60% reduction in oxygen content, decreasing it from 250 ppm to 100 ppm, and producing powder suitable for advanced manufacturing applications.
Fluidised Bed Processing: PSI achieved a further significant reduction of oxygen in the powder, from 100 ppm to 40 ppm, by utilising an innovative powder processing technology, resulting in market-leading ultra-low oxygen powders for demanding applications.
Additive Manufacturing: Demonstrations utilising Laser Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB) and Cold Spray Additive Manufacturing (CSAM), conducted by MTC, highlighted the viability of recycled high-purity copper powder for high-performance applications, including heat exchangers, aerospace, and automotive components.
High-purity copper produced through the Pure CuRE process is also ideal for applications in advanced electronics, medical engineering, and cryogenic systems. The project’s success establishes the UK as a leader in sustainable copper recycling, with the potential for expansion into rare earth metals and other high-value materials.
Alex Lapis, co-founder and managing director at Aeramine, said: “Our vacuum refinement technology has proven its capability to deliver ultra-high purity copper efficiently. We’re excited to scale this innovation and explore its application in other metals.”
Dr Tom Rehaag, research and technology manager at PSI, stated that “PSI’s versatile fluidised bed technology enables production of ultra-low oxygen powders for the most demanding applications, and offers an invaluable solution for powder users to rejuvenate old out-of-spec powders back to as-new condition.”
Dr Steven Hall, materials technology technical specialist at MTC, commented: “Pure CuRE has demonstrated a major advancement in upcycling scrap copper into high-purity formats, supporting the creation of a fully circular UK-based supply chain. Pure CuRE provides a fantastic opportunity for UK industry to leverage high-purity copper in applications such as electrification and nuclear fusion, ultimately helping reduce carbon emissions through clean energy generation.”
The Pure CuRE team is now focused on scaling up production, optimising processes, and seeking commercial partnerships to bring these innovations to market. With a 10-year growth target, the project aims to revolutionise copper recycling and expand into other high-value materials.