Francesco Casamichiela

Abstract Aqueous rechargeable Zn-based batteries are gaining attention for their sustainability, safety, and cost-effectiveness; however, no industrially viable solutions are yet available, due to the synergistic issues of passivation and shape change. In particular, flow batteries with particulate Zn anodes are attractive for long-term stationary storage, at the cost of additional morpho-chemical processes involving the Zn particle bed and the interparticle space (IPS).

1 Introduction Hardmetal (HM) is a sintered material composed of tungsten carbide (WC) particles embedded in a cobalt binder. Hardness of WC, combined with ductility of Co make HM an ideal solution for high-wear components subjected to harsh mechanical stresses.1-4 A pressing aspect of widespread HM usage is that tungsten and cobalt are Critical and Strategic Raw Materials (CRM, SRM),5 making scrap recycling mandatory.