School of Chemistry Seminar: Dr Antonio Zanotti-Gerosa (Johnson Matthey) Recycling of Platinum Group Metals (PGMs): impact on sustainability models for industrial applications

Platinum Group Metals (PGMs) are essential to almost every aspect of modern life, from food production to travel, medicine and electronics. They are also geologically scarce, and they feature on the list of strategic materials of most nations.

Johnson Matthey has been involved in the PGM industry for more than 200 years and can share a privileged insight into the sustainability and future availability of PGMs. Founded in 1817, the company has helped tackle some of the world's biggest challenges for over two centuries and continues to use advanced metals chemistry expertise and technology solutions to enable the world's leading energy, chemicals and automotive companies to decarbonise and reduce harmful emissions.

Johnson Matthey has recently published a reassessment of the extent of recycling in the PGM industry, including the usually unaccounted for closed loop recycling. This has an impact on the estimation of the carbon footprint of PGMs and, specifically for the fine chemical industry, on the models for the environmental footprint of catalytic processes, which will be discussed.

There will be tea and coffee in the Purdie Common Room after the lecture. All are welcome.