R&D Project from Akcoat for Metal Recovery from Ceramic Ink Waste

Akcoat, one of the Akkök Holding subsidiaries, continues its R&D efforts in sustainable production and the circular economy with the EU-supported MAJESTIC Project. Financed under the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) within the framework of the Valencia Region 2021-2027 Program, the project is carried out under Akcoat’s coordination in collaboration with the Institute of Advanced Materials at Jaume I University (INAM-UJI) and the Institute of Ceramic Technology (ITC).

The MAJESTIC Project focuses on recovering metals found in ceramic pigments through the processing of ink waste generated in the ceramics sector. Waste arising from inks used in ceramic tile decoration carries significant recovery potential both environmentally and in terms of resource efficiency, as it contains critical raw materials such as cobalt, as well as metals such as iron and copper.

Within the scope of the project, new technologies are being researched to break down the crystal structure of ceramic pigments in order to separate metal ions, and subsequently recover these metals through electrochemical precipitation methods. In this way, the aim is to reduce the environmental impact of waste, decrease the use of primary raw materials, and incorporate the recovered metals into re-manufacturing processes.

Ink waste generated during ceramic ink production and tile decoration processes cannot currently be effectively recovered within the sector under existing practices. The valorization of this waste, particularly that consisting of heavy-metal-containing ceramic pigments, is among the sector’s environmental and industrial issues awaiting a solution.

Within the scope of the MAJESTIC Project, research is being conducted into the development of electrochemical cells capable of using electrolysis and electrodeposition processes to address this problem. The technologies to be developed aim to selectively separate and recover the metals found in waste streams.

Another important pillar of the project is the reuse of the recovered metals as raw materials in the synthesis of “cool pigments” with high solar reflectivity.

The high-solar-reflectivity pigments being researched for development within MAJESTIC stand out not only for making use of recovered raw materials but also as a potential solution for reducing heat accumulation on surfaces.

“Cool pigment” technologies help reflect a higher proportion of solar radiation, thereby limiting excessive heating of surfaces. This feature can contribute to reducing the urban heat island effect, which causes asphalt and building surfaces in particular to absorb solar energy and reach higher temperatures compared to their surroundings.

Accordingly, the project brings together, within the same cycle, the use of metals obtained from waste recovery in re-manufacturing and the development of next-generation pigments that can contribute to energy and environmental performance.

The MAJESTIC Project, carried out under Akcoat’s coordination, brings together the different areas of expertise of INAM-UJI, ITC and Akcoat within the same R&D effort.

The partnership between the university’s research institute, the technology institute and the sector company enables scientific research, technical validation, applied development and a market-oriented approach to progress within the same project.

Through this collaboration, the aim is to transfer the technologies to be developed from laboratory scale to application, support technology transfer, and turn the results obtained into solutions that can be commercialized in the future.

The MAJESTIC Project also aligns with the conclusions and recommendations of the two Specialized Strategic Innovation Committees (CEIE) established by Ivace+i Innovación.

While the recommendations put forward under the Circular Economy Committee support the development of innovative technologies for waste reduction and revalorization, the recommendations of the Sustainable Living Spaces Committee focus on the development of more sustainable materials and building systems. In this context, the innovative ink solutions developed based on “cool pigments” also align with these strategic priorities.

The project is also in line with the core strategic priorities of the Valencia Region Smart Specialization Strategy (S3), coordinated by the Valencia Region Regional Ministry of Industry, Tourism, Innovation and Trade.

Through the MAJESTIC Project, Akcoat aims to contribute to a resource-efficient and circular-economy-focused production approach by revalorizing metal-containing pigments arising as waste in the ceramics sector, recovering critical raw materials back into the production cycle, and developing high-performance next-generation pigments.