A method of recovering materials bound to a metallic substrate using cryogenic cooling, comprising: - obtaining a source stream comprising a multiplicity of recyclable items, each recyclable item comprising ∘ a metallic substrate; and ∘ one or more target materials coupled to said metallic substrate, wherein ∘ said each recyclable item comprises all or a portion of a metal foil catalytic converter substrate; ∘ said one or more target materials comprise one or more of platinum, palladium, and rhodium; ∘ said each recyclable item comprises a fragment from said all or said portion of said metal foil catalytic converter substrate that is generated by a primary recovery process configured to recover a first portion of said one or more target materials; and, ∘ said fragment comprises an additional quantity of said one or more target materials that was not recovered in said primary recovery process; - cryogenically cooling said source stream and forming a cooled stream, wherein a temperature of said cooled stream induces embrittlement of said metallic substrate of said multiplicity of recyclable items; - applying mechanical forces to said multiplicity of recyclable items in said cooled stream to break apart said metallic substrate into pieces, and to release all or a portion of said one or more target materials from said metallic substrate, wherein said applying mechanical forces to said multiplicity of recyclable items in said cooled stream comprises shattering fragments in said cooled stream using an impact mill; - forming a mixture stream comprising all or a portion of said pieces and said all or a portion of said one or more target materials; and - feeding said mixture stream into a separator to separate said mixture stream into one or more first fractions containing said all or a portion of said pieces, and one or more second fractions containing said all or a portion of said one or more target materials. - obtaining a source stream comprising a multiplicity of recyclable items, each recyclable item comprising ∘ a metallic substrate; and ∘ one or more target materials coupled to said metallic substrate, wherein ∘ said each recyclable item comprises all or a portion of a metal foil catalytic converter substrate; ∘ said one or more target materials comprise one or more of platinum, palladium, and rhodium; ∘ said each recyclable item comprises a fragment from said all or said portion of said metal foil catalytic converter substrate that is generated by a primary recovery process configured to recover a first portion of said one or more target materials; and, ∘ said fragment comprises an additional quantity of said one or more target materials that was not recovered in said primary recovery process; ∘ a metallic substrate; and ∘ one or more target materials coupled to said metallic substrate, ∘ said each recyclable item comprises all or a portion of a metal foil catalytic converter substrate; ∘ said one or more target materials comprise one or more of platinum, palladium, and rhodium; ∘ said each recyclable item comprises a fragment from said all or said portion of said metal foil catalytic converter substrate that is generated by a primary recovery process configured to recover a first portion of said one or more target materials; and, ∘ said fragment comprises an additional quantity of said one or more target materials that was not recovered in said primary recovery process; - cryogenically cooling said source stream and forming a cooled stream, wherein a temperature of said cooled stream induces embrittlement of said metallic substrate of said multiplicity of recyclable items; - applying mechanical forces to said multiplicity of recyclable items in said cooled stream to break apart said metallic substrate into pieces, and to release all or a portion of said one or more target materials from said metallic substrate, wherein said applying mechanical forces to said multiplicity of recyclable items in said cooled stream comprises shattering fragments in said cooled stream using an impact mill; - forming a mixture stream comprising all or a portion of said pieces and said all or a portion of said one or more target materials; and - feeding said mixture stream into a separator to separate said mixture stream into one or more first fractions containing said all or a portion of said pieces, and one or more second fractions containing said all or a portion of said one or more target materials.