Japanese technology company Asahi Kasei has started a joint demonstration with Nobian, Furuya Metal, and Mastermelt on the recycling of metals, including precious metals, used in the cells and electrodes incorporated in electrolyzers used for the production of caustic soda. Through this initiative started in February 2025, the partners will work towards building a recycling ecosystem for valuable metals in the chlor-alkali industry.

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Collaborative Metal Recycling Process for Cells & Electrodes

For nearly five decades, Asahi Kasei has been a leader in the field of chlor-alkali electrolysis for the production of caustic soda and chlorine. The company manufactures and supplies ion-exchange membranes, electrolysis cells, electrodes, and operation expertise for electrolyzer plants. Electrolyzers apply an electric current that is used to split salt water (brine) into chlorine, hydrogen, and caustic soda, which are then used in a broad variety of chemical products.

Precious metals such as iridium and ruthenium are used to produce electrodes and other components for electrolysis systems. With increasing global demand for these materials, Asahi Kasei has been advancing initiatives with partners to ensure a stable and secure supply of these metals. One such example is a demonstration project of an electrolysis cell rental service in Europe. Running since 2023 in collaboration with Nobian, a manufacturer of caustic soda and other essential chemicals, this project focuses on the reuse of precious metals.

Asahi Kasei’s joint recycling project with Nobian, as well as with recycling specialists Furuya Metal and Mastermelt, aims to establish a recycling process inside the chlor-alkali industry that refines metals from cells and electrodes that have reached the end of their service life and reuses them as raw materials for the production of new components within the industry. It is expected that this may also be applied to components of Asahi Kasei’s electrolysis system for producing green hydrogen using clean energy.

In this project, Asahi Kasei will first collect end-of-life electrodes from Nobian and provide them to Mastermelt and Furuya Metal which will perform the removal of the catalyst from the electrodes, preparation of the material for the next process step, and the extraction and purification of precious metals from the catalyst. In the final step, Asahi Kasei uses the precious metals for a new catalyst, which is then utilized for the coating of electrodes. By using these recycled catalytic electrodes, Nobian will conduct brine electrolysis, thereby enabling resource recycling in the production of caustic soda and chlorine.

“This demonstration represents an important step forward for the chlor-alkali industry and furthers our commitment to advancing circular economy solutions,” said Yoshifumi Kado, Senior General Manager of Ion Exchange Membrane & Electrolysis System Division. “By combining the expertise of Asahi Kasei, Nobian, Furuya Metal, and Mastermelt, we will be able to garner even more value from the important precious metals used in electrolyzer technology while transforming sustainability goals into practical, scalable outcomes.”

This announcement follows Asahi Kasei’s launch of the AlkaNexus brand in late 2024, which is designed to be a one-stop solution for the chlor-alkali industry, integrating advanced services in data analysis, plant operations optimization, and membranes. To learn more about Asahi Kasei’s electrolyzer solutions, visit: https://chlor-alkali.asahi-kasei.co.jp/en/

About Asahi Kasei

The Asahi Kasei Group contributes to life and living for people around the world. Since its foundation in 1922 with ammonia and cellulose fiber business, Asahi Kasei has consistently grown through the proactive transformation of its business portfolio to meet the evolving needs of every age. With more than 49,000 employees worldwide, the company contributes to sustainable society by providing solutions to the world’s challenges through its three business sectors of Material, Homes, and Healthcare. For more information, visit www.asahi-kasei.com.

Asahi Kasei is also dedicated to sustainability initiatives and is contributing to reaching a carbon neutral society by 2050. To learn more, visit https://www.asahi-kasei.com/sustainability/.

About Nobian Industrial Chemicals B.V.

Nobian, a European leader in the production of salt, essential chemicals and storage caverns, operates modern sites in the Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark. We supply high-purity salt, chlor-alkali, chloromethanes, and hydrogen, for everyday and energy transition products. With over 100 years of experience and 1,600 dedicated employees, we focus on safety, efficiency, and sustainability. Nobian is owned by Carlyle Group and GIC. Learn more at www.nobian.com.

About Furuya Metal Co., Ltd.

Furuya Metal, established in 1968, is a manufacturer that processes platinum group metals (PGMs) into industrial products. Among various PGMs, we especially engage in the business of iridium and ruthenium over 40 years and boast a high global market share. Our competency in the procurement of raw materials, high purity refining technology, advanced fabricating techniques, recycling technology and its large capacity have contributed to technological development of many customers. As demand for iridium and ruthenium is expanding in various industries and yet their output is quite limited, Furuya Metal have worked on recycling of these metals for the stable supply. We are contributing to the development of society by supplying them to various industries.

About Mastermelt Ltd.

Established in 1985, Mastermelt is a world leader in recycling of precious metals. With over 25 years of experience in recovering critical precious metals from the chlor-alkali industry, our sites in the UK, Germany, Singapore, and the US, and highly specialised facilities specifically for recovery of precious metals from electrodes, Mastermelt is in a unique position to provide value added services globally to the industry. Our commitment to continual improvement and advanced process technology ensures we not only optimise recovery of precious metals for our customers but provide a secure sustainable platform for the future within the broader circular economy.

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