Successful PhD defense of Aylin Nur Erkmen

On 10 July 2026, Aylin Nur Erkmen successfully defended her doctoral thesis entitled "Novel Technologies in Critical Metal Recovery from End-of-Life (EoL) Devices" at the Chair of Bioprocess Engineering.

In her dissertation, Aylin addressed one of the key challenges of the circular economy: the sustainable recovery of the critical raw material gallium from electronic waste, particularly end-of-life LEDs. Gallium is an essential element for semiconductor technologies, yet its primary availability is limited and subject to significant geopolitical dependencies.

Her research combined hydrometallurgical and biotechnological approaches to develop innovative and environmentally friendly recycling strategies. A major focus was the use of organic acids, especially oxalic acid, for the selective leaching of gallium, complemented by the production of these acids using Aspergillus niger fermentation. By integrating biogenic fermentation supernatants into indirect bioleaching processes, she demonstrated a promising and sustainable alternative to conventional, energy-intensive metal extraction methods. The work also included process optimization, kinetic modelling, scale-up studies, and the investigation of real LED waste streams, highlighting the potential for future industrial implementation.

The Chair of Bioprocess Engineering congratulates Dr. Aylin Nur Erkmen on this outstanding achievement and wishes her every success in her future scientific and professional career.