Recycling of heavy metal alloy turnings to powder by oxidation–reduction process

Abstract The processes of direct recycling heavy metal turnings by oxidation–reduction technique have been investigated in details. The average particle size of recycled alloy powders was about 1.5 μm, and the shape of powder particle was regular when the final reduction temperature was 850 °C. The average size of the particle increased to 5 and 8 μm when increasing the reduction temperature to 900 and 950 °C, respectively. However, if the reduction temperature was above 900 °C, the surface of powder was complicated. Increasing reduction temperature from 900 to 950 °C, the particle of recycled powder grew slightly, and the content of oxygen decreased from 0.2314% to 0.1700%. It has been also found that the chemical composition of the recycled alloy powder is the same as the primary heavy metal turnings.