title: Stocks, Flows, and Distribution of Critical Metals in Embedded Electronics in Passenger Vehicles.
abstract: One of the major applications of critical metals (CMs) is in electrical and electronic equipment (EEE), which is increasingly embedded in other products, notably passenger vehicles. However, recycling strategies for future CM quantities in end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) are poorly understood, mainly due to a limited understating of the complexity of automotive embedded EEE. We introduce a harmonization of the network structure of automotive electronics that enables a comprehensive quantification of CMs in all embedded EEE in a vehicle. This network is combined with a material flow analysis along the vehicle lifecycle in Switzerland to quantify the stocks and flows of Ag, Au, Pd, Ru, Dy, La, Nd, and Co in automotive embedded EEE. In vehicles in use, we calculated 5-2+3t precious metals in controllers embedded in all vehicle types and 220-60+90t rare earth elements (REE); found mainly in five electric motors: alternator, starter, radiator-fan and electronic power steering motor embedded in conventional passenger vehicles and drive motor/generator embedded in hybrid and electric vehicles. Dismantling these devices before ELV shredding, as well as postshredder treatment of automobile shredder residue may increase the recovery of CMs from ELVs. Environmental and economic implications of such recycling strategies must be considered.
authors.affiliation: Empa - Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, CH-9014, St. Gallen, Switzerland.|Industrial Ecology Programme and Department of Energy and Process Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) , NO-7491, Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Eliette
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-6003-5721
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Restrepo
authors.affiliation: Empa - Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, CH-9014, St. Gallen, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Amund N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Løvik
authors.affiliation: Empa - Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, CH-9014, St. Gallen, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wäger
authors.affiliation: Empa - Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, CH-9014, St. Gallen, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Rolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Widmer
authors.affiliation: Industrial Ecology Programme and Department of Energy and Process Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) , NO-7491, Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Radek
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lonka
authors.affiliation: Empa - Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, CH-9014, St. Gallen, Switzerland.|Industrial Ecology Programme and Department of Energy and Process Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) , NO-7491, Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Daniel B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Müller
mesh_terms: D001336:Automobiles; D004581:Electronics; D004777:Environment; D008670:Metals; D059027:Recycling / Q000191:economics*
chemical_list: D008670:Metals