From Urban Mining to Functional Inorganic Materials: Sustainable Recovery and Upcycling of Rare Earth Elements from Fluorescent Lamp E-Waste

This work presents an integrated research platform for the sustainable recovery, purification, and upcycling of rare earth elements (REEs) from end-of-life fluorescent lamp waste. By combining waste characterization, green extraction technologies, bioleaching, impurity control and materials synthesis, the study demonstrates a circular approach that converts a hazardous e-waste stream into high-value functional inorganic materials. The results highlight the exceptional potential of fluorescent lamp phosphor waste as a secondary source of critical raw materials, achieving high-purity REE recovery and their subsequent application in phosphors, luminescent ceramics, glasses, and porous aerogels. The research addresses key challenges associated with the increasing volume of fluorescent lamp waste following the global phase-out of these devicesand contributes to sustainable resource management, urban mining, and the development of advanced functional materials aligned with circular economy principles.