IIT (ISM) Dhanbad Gets Patent for Copper Recovery

IIT (ISM) Dhanbad has secured an Indian patent for an electrochemical reactor that recovers copper from industrial wastewater. The patent was granted by the Patent Office, Government of India, for the invention titled “An Electrochemical Reactor for Cathodic Recovery of Copper from Wastewater”.

Patent and Inventors

The invention was developed at IIT (ISM) Dhanbad by Prof. Vipin Kumar of the Department of Environmental Science and Engineering. Nishant Pandey and Ankur Singh, both PhD scholars at the institute, are co-inventors of the patented technology. The patent was granted on 30 July 2026 against an application filed on 29 November 2023.

Working of the Electrochemical Reactor

The patented system uses a cathodic electrochemical process to extract copper particles from wastewater streams. In this process, copper ions move towards the cathode and deposit on the electrode surface, which enables recovery of the metal from liquid waste.

Industrial and Environmental Context

Copper recovery from wastewater is relevant for mining and metallurgical industries, where metal-bearing effluents are generated during processing operations. Wastewater treatment technologies that recover metals can reduce discharge into water bodies and support resource recovery from industrial effluents.

Important Facts for Exams

• Indian patents are granted under the Patents Act, 1970, and are administered by the Patent Office under the Government of India.
• Electrochemical methods use electrical energy to drive chemical reactions at electrodes.
• Cathode is the electrode where reduction takes place in an electrochemical cell.
• Circular economy refers to a system that keeps materials in use for as long as possible through recovery, reuse, and recycling.

Related Static GK

Copper is a transition metal with the chemical symbol Cu and atomic number 29. IIT (ISM) Dhanbad is one of India’s older technical institutions and is located in Dhanbad, Jharkhand.