A vapor deposition metal mask substrate includes a nickel-containing metal sheet including a obverse surface and a reverse surface, which is opposite to the obverse surface. At least one of the obverse surface and the reverse surface is a target surface for placing a resist layer. The target surface has a surface roughness Sa of less than or equal to 0.019 μm. The target surface has a surface roughness Sz of less than or equal to 0.308 μm.

Lead from lead acid battery scrap is recovered in two separate production streams as clean grid lead and as high-purity lead without smelting. In preferred aspects, lead recovery is performed in a continuous process that uses an aqueous electroprocessing solvent and electro-refining. Spent electroprocessing solvent and/or base utilized to treat lead paste from the lead acid battery scrap can be recycled to the recovery process.

Lead from lead acid battery scrap is recovered in two separate production streams as clean grid lead and as high-purity lead without smelting. In preferred aspects, lead recovery is performed in a continuous process that uses an aqueous electroprocessing solvent and electro-refining. Spent electroprocessing solvent and/or base utilized to treat lead paste from the lead acid battery scrap can be recycled to the recovery process.

An electrolyte flow regulator device and system that eliminates electrode edge strips, preferably cathodes edge strips, by obstructing the passage of the rich electrolyte to be electrodeposited and by the electrical isolation caused by the side walls of the device in the area where the edge strip was originally arranged, being able to obtain edges of an electrode without electrodeposition.

An electrolyte flow regulator device and system that eliminates electrode edge strips, preferably cathodes edge strips, by obstructing the passage of the rich electrolyte to be electrodeposited and by the electrical isolation caused by the side walls of the device in the area where the edge strip was originally arranged, being able to obtain edges of an electrode without electrodeposition.

A regenerator cell for regenerating metallic particles is provided. The regenerator cell includes: a housing for containing a quantity of electrolyte; an anode; a cathode; a cavity at least partially defined by the housing, the cathode and the anode; an inlet port for supplying electrolyte to the cell, the inlet port in fluid communication with the cavity; and an outlet port for expelling electrolyte, particles and/or gas from the cell, the outlet port in fluid communication with the cavity.

Automated robotic harvesting systems and methods for harvesting electrodeposited metals from a cell, and specialized end of arm tooling for use in automated robotic harvesting systems and methods for harvesting electrodeposited metals from a cell, are disclosed. A harvesting tool comprises an extraction gripping unit configured to extract a starter sheet and metal electrodeposited on the starter sheet from a cell, and a harvesting gripping unit configured to separate the starter sheet from the metal for harvesting the metal.

Automated robotic harvesting systems and methods for harvesting electrodeposited metals from a cell, and specialized end of arm tooling for use in automated robotic harvesting systems and methods for harvesting electrodeposited metals from a cell, are disclosed. A harvesting tool comprises an extraction gripping unit configured to extract a starter sheet and metal electrodeposited on the starter sheet from a cell, and a harvesting gripping unit configured to separate the starter sheet from the metal for harvesting the metal.

A method for generating a metallic particle slurry in a regenerator, the method comprising the steps of: (a) generating metallic particles on a surface of a cathode by applying a forward current for a forward current period; (b) displacing the metallic particles from the surface of the cathode by applying a displacement force for a displacement period; (c) dissolving residual metallic particles by applying a reverse current for a reverse current period; (d) providing a plurality of regenerator cells; and (e) establishing an airlock by isolating aqueous electrolyte between cavities of regenerator cells.

A method for generating a metallic particle slurry in a regenerator, the method comprising the steps of: (a) generating metallic particles on a surface of a cathode by applying a forward current for a forward current period; (b) displacing the metallic particles from the surface of the cathode by applying a displacement force for a displacement period; (c) dissolving residual metallic particles by applying a reverse current for a reverse current period; (d) providing a plurality of regenerator cells; and (e) establishing an airlock by isolating aqueous electrolyte between cavities of regenerator cells.