In-Depth Understanding of Hardmetal Corrosion Performance Reveals a Path to the Electrochemical Demolition of Scrap

Recycling of hardmetal scrap is strategic for critical raw materials recovery. Available recycling processes are polluting and have a large carbon footprint. Attempts to exploit controlled corrosion failed in industrial practice, owing to self-limiting processes. We revisit the corrosion route, in view of gaining the fundamental knowledge enabling high-throughput recovery. We selected the worst-case approach of highly corrosion-resistant CoNiWC-based hardmetal grades and neutral aqueous electrolyte at room temperature. Systematic electrochemical measurements, UV-Vis spectroscopy and SEM microscopy disclosed that, even though there is no hope to overcome the self-limiting corrosion rate, nevertheless, by exploiting the mechanical action of anodic O2 evolution acting precisely at the interface between the residual active material and the corrosion film, the latter can be efficiently removed, periodically reactivating the hardmetal corrosion in a way that results in an ultra-high scrap destruction rate, of interest for real-life industrial processes.