The three Japanese companies aim to recover titanium waste produced during the manufacturing of electrolysis cells at Asahi Kasei’s Nobeoka site in Japan, converting it into new, high-purity titanium. In chlor-alkali electrolysis cells, pure titanium is used on the anode side to protect the cell against corrosive chlorine. The material must meet very high purity requirements to ensure sufficient corrosion resistance and processability.
Strict quality control throughout the entire chain
Recycling pure titanium scrap demands rigorous standards: Strict quality controls and pre-treatment methods are required during remelting to prevent contamination with foreign substances. Asahi Kasei oversees the entire process, ensuring traceability at the production site with the help of digital tools. Nippon Steel Trading collects the material and processes it to a form suitable as feedstock for remelting. Nippon Steel then uses part of the processed material as a raw material for producing new pure titanium.
Combining remelting technology with scrap management
“This initiative is made possible by combining Nippon Steel’s industrial-grade pure titanium remelting technology with Asahi Kasei’s established scrap management system within the manufacturing process,” says Ken Hirai, head of the titanium business unit at Nippon Steel. The partners plan to further increase the recycling rate of pure titanium in the future.
Asahi Kasei advances metal recycling in electrolysis
Asahi Kasei has been active in the chlor-alkali electrolysis industry for five decades and produces electrolysis cells, ion exchange membranes and electrodes. According to the company, the titanium recycling initiative is linked to other ongoing projects, including a precious metal recycling programme for chlor-alkali electrolysis cells announced in April 2025.
