Battery recycling and hydrometallurgy are among the most chemically aggressive processes in industry. The leach liquors, acids and organic solvents involved destroy ordinary materials — which is why FRP has become the material of choice for process equipment.
Why metal struggles here
Solvent-extraction (SX) circuits and metal-recovery processes expose equipment to strong acids, organics and elevated temperatures. Steel corrodes rapidly, and even exotic alloys can be prohibitively expensive. FRP resists these chemistries at a fraction of the cost and weight.
Where FRP is used in the process
- Mixer-settlers and after settlers — the core of SX circuits.
- Coalescers and launders for separating and transferring phases.
- Reactors and process vessels built with chemically matched liners.
- Storage tanks for acids, organics and process fluids.
The role of resin selection
Performance in these environments depends on matching the resin system to the specific chemistry — temperature, concentration and the organics involved. Vinyl ester and specialist resins, applied with the right laminate design, deliver long, dependable service. This is engineering work, not an off-the-shelf purchase.
Benefits for recyclers and refiners
- Corrosion-free equipment with a long service life.
- Lower maintenance and fewer process interruptions.
- Lightweight construction that simplifies installation.
- Custom-engineered geometry to fit the flowsheet.
As battery recycling scales up worldwide, demand for reliable, corrosion-free process equipment is rising fast. SupraSX, part of the SupraFRP family, engineers FRP SX systems and tankage to each plant's process data — built for hydrometallurgy and metal purification.