CMI researchers have created many invention disclosures and filed dozens of patent applications, with more than four dozen patents issued. Except for exclusive licenses, these are available for licensing, and are listed in the order of their first U.S. patent number. For CMI technology transfer, licensing or commercial inquiries, or if you would like information on how to become a CMI Team member of Affiliate, please contact Stacy Joiner at Ames National Laboratory 515-294-5932 or CMIaffiliates@ameslab.gov.
Technologies available for licensing can also be found online at the U.S. Department of Energy EERE Energy Innovation Portal. Ames Laboratory provides additional information on Technology Transfer.
- Aluminum Nitride Phosphors for Fluorescent Lighting
Patent issued May 2016 #9,337,010 link to pdf
A new high quantum efficiency phosphor based on Aluminum Nitride has been found to offer properties amenable to use in fluorescent lighting. Under certain conditions, aluminum nitride powder has been found to activate with a spectrum and light yield comparable to commercial orange-red phosphors, but without use of any rare-earth elements.
- Developing Bulk Exchange Spring Magnets
Patent issued June 2017 #9,691,545 link to pdf
The challenge in producing high performing superior exchange spring magnets (ESMs) has been the inability to precisely control the spacing of the particles and the coupling between them. Electrophoretic deposition (EPD), which utilizes the induced surface charge (that) particles exhibit when placed in both aqueous and organic liquids, is used to control the motion of the particles in suspension in the presence of electric fields. As such, EPD permits the precise control of particles needed to manufacture superior ESMs with energy products approaching the theoretical maximum.
- Recovery of Dy-enriched Fe Alloy from Magnet Scrap Alloy via Selective Separation of Rare Earth Elements
Patent issued August 2017 #9,725,788 link to pdf
Processing technique that utilizes rare earth magnets scrap (discarded permanent magnets) containing different heavy and light rare earth elements (Nd, Pr and Dy) to recover a Dy‐enriched Fe‐based alloy.
- Electrochemistry Enabled Recovery of Value Metals from Electronics
Patent issued March 2017 #9,777,346 link to pdf
Electronic devices such as smart phones and tablets are a significant source of valuable metals available for recycling. Value metals in phones include gold, palladium, silver, copper, cobalt, nickel and Rare earth elements. This invention presents chemistry that enables efficient recycling of metals from scrap mobile electronics. The electrorecycling process recovers metals from electronic materials using a novel process. The process generates oxidizing agents to dissolve metals from matrix and selectively recovers a metal product. Unique chemistry has been developed to enable this recovery. Flow sheets have been developed to process feedstocks to value products.
- Composite Nanoparticles Containing Rare Earth Metal and Methods of Preparation Thereof
U.S. Patent issued May 2015 #9,938,628 link to pdf
- Castable High-Temperature Ce-Modified Al Alloys
Patent issued May 2018 #9,963,770 link to pdf | Exclusive license issued
The present invention comprises castable Ce-modified Al alloys that have the ability to fill a vacant spot in the aluminum alloys family. The alloy maintains its mechanical properties to a higher temperature than currently available alloys and thus creates a high temperature aluminum alloy with mechanical characteristic improvements upwards of 30% over other Al alloys in similar high temperature applications. Cerium modification of Aluminum alloys will serve to create an as of yet unseen opportunity for Aluminum alloys to be utilized in high temperature applications; where before, such an application was limited to much denser and thus heavier alloys.
- Membrane Solvent Extraction for Rare Earth Separations
Patent issued March 2018 #9,968,887 link to pdf
link to licensing information
This invention is a membrane‐based dispersion‐free supported liquid membrane solvent extraction (MSX) for the separation, concentration and recovery of rare earth elements.
- Chemical Separation of Terbium Oxide (SEPTER)
Patent issued July 2018 #10,029,920 link to pdf
link to licensing information
This invention provides an exceptional separation method for terbium oxide (Tb4O7) with the following advantages: 1) Improvement and known separation and recycling technologies: separation of terbium (III, IV) oxide using an aqueous solution of acetic acid. 2) Time-effective: unprecedented dissolution rate (total about 15 to 20 minutes). 3) Environmentally-friendly process: water-based, omits of auxiliary hazardous chemicals; no waste generation (obtained acetates can be calcinated like the currently used oxalates). 4) Cost effective: required materials (solution of acetic acid=”concentrated vinegar”) and whole process including microwave heating is cheaper compared to the solvent extraction. 5) A purity of 99.5% can be reached for the separated terbium oxide.
- Engineering Caulobacter Surface Protein for Rare Earth Element Absorption
Patent issued February 2019 #10,196,708 link to pdf
Patent issued January 2022 #11,230,750 link to pdf
Engineered bacterial strains of Caulobacter crescentus and Escherichia coli, that express lanthanide binding tag (LBT) on cell surface proteins, showed enhanced ability to sequester rare earth elements through bio-absorption.
- Multifunctional Liquid Crystalline Networks
Patent issued April 2019 #10,253,261 link to pdf
link to licensing information
This invention describes a unique way of preparing liquid crystalline elastomers (LCE’s) with different liquid crystallinity, crosslink density, and network rigidity. The new method of preparation leads to LCEs with tunable thermal transition temperatures and thermomechanical properties. These characteristics make LCE compositions particularly well-suited for use in additive manufacturing processes and shape memory applications. LCE’s are powered by reversible liquid crystalline (LC) phase transitions and the unique coupling between LC molecules and polymer networks. As a result, liquid crystalline elastomers (LCE’s) represent a special class of shape memory polymers. They exhibit reversible shape change upon the application of external stimuli, such as heat, light, and magnetic field. This makes them excellent candidates for artificial muscles, sensors, and self-deploying devices. However, despite their interesting properties and remarkable potential, practical applications of LCEs remain limited, due to the technical difficulties involved in tailoring their thermal transition temperatures and their thermomechanical properties to specific end-use applications. Advances in preparing tailored LCE’s might provide significant improvements to additive manufacturing processes, and, to the additive manufacturing production of bonded magnets.
- Methods of Separating Lithium-Chloride from Geothermal Brine Solutions
Patent issued April 23, 2019, #10,266,915 link to pdf
link to licensing information
This invention comprises novel sorbents and methods which achieve transformational improvement in lithium‐chloride extraction methods from naturally occurring concentrated brines.
- Recovering Rare Earth Metals using Bismuth Extractant
Patent issued June 2019 #10,323,299 link to pdf
link to licensing information
This invention involves a liquid metal extraction technique for treating rare earth metal-bearing permanent magnet scrap, waste, and other material to recover at least one of the light rare earth metal(s) and the heavy rare earth metal(s) for reuse in the manufacture of permanent magnets. It can be used to treat a wide variety of binary, ternary, and other rare earth-transition metal alloy compositions. This method can be practiced to recover the light rare earth metal content and the heavy rare earth metal content concurrently in a one-step process or separately and sequentially in a two-step process. Unlike other processes, this method extracts both the light and heavy rare earth metals in a single extraction step. Specifically, the heavy rare earths can be extracted very effectively using this method, which is not feasibly using other liquid metal techniques.
- A One Step Process for the Removal of Nickel/Nickel Copper Surface Coating from the Nd2Fe14B (neo) Permanent Magnets
Patent issued June 2019 #10,323,300 link to pdf
This invention affords the quantitative extraction of rare earths present in phosphoric acid streams produced in phosphoric acid plants.
- Methods for Recovering Metals from Electronic Waste, and Related Systems
Patent issued August 2019 #10,378,081 link to pdf
A method of recovering metals from electronic waste comprises providing a powder comprising electronic waste in at least a first reactor and a second reactor and providing an electrolyte comprising at least ferric ions in an electrochemical cell in fluid communication with the first reactor and the second reactor. The method further includes contacting the powders within the first reactor and the second reactor with the electrolyte to dissolve at least one base metal from each reactor into the electrolyte and reduce at least some of the ferric ions to ferrous ions. The ferrous ions are oxidized at an anode of the electrochemical cell to regenerate the ferric ions. The powder within the second reactor comprises a higher weight percent of the at least one base metal than the powder in the first reactor. Additional methods of recovering metals from electronic waste are also described, as well as an apparatus of recovering metals from electronic waste.
- 3D Printable Liquid Crystalline Elastomers with Tunable Shape Memory Behaviors and Bio-derived Renditions
Patent issued September 2019 #10,407,535 link to pdf
link to licensing information
The invention describes a method to prepare a smetic main-chain liquid crystalline epoxy elastomer. Microstructures of the material including liquid crystallinity and crosslinking network were modified by adjusting the stoichiometric ratio of the reactants to tailor thermomechnical properties and shape memory behaviors. This invention includes a new class of materials based on epoxy and elastomer composites and processing solutions that will enable additive manufacturing of materials with enhanced cross-layer bonding and functionality such as shape shifting structures. Additive manufacturing of mechanically robust polymer composites requires localized heating and large thermal gradients that cause many conventional materials designed for polymer additive manufacturing to fail due to large macroscopic distortions. This problem is compounded by low adhesion between deposition layers. Our invention provides a specific solution that is centered on controlling the evolution of crystalline domains using directional electromagnetic fields and strong covalent bonding across layers. Materials with low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) can be obtained from liquid crystalline precursors. The zero-CTE epoxy composite and a shape shifting liquid crystalline elastomeric composite disclosed here is compatible with additive manufacturing. The economic viability can be maintained by making use of low cost biopolymers (lignin) both as integral component and/or cross-linking agent. We will pursue a two-phase approach: 1. Conversion of a commercial epoxy into stable pellets for room temperature extrusion. Electromagnetic processing will provide the targeted deposition of power and thermal energy to control polymer morphology resulting in a benchmark zero-CTE epoxy resin. 2. Incorporation of lignin as a rigid crosslinker and compounding with other reinforcing agents such as glass fibers, to lower cost and to improve the strength and durability of the material.
- A Process for the Recovery of Mercury and Rare Earth Elements from Used Fluorescent Lamps
Patent issued January 2020 #10,533,239 link to pdf
link to licensing information
The invention teaches an integrated process to safely separate and remove mercury and rare earth elements from fluorescent light bulbs. The process does not rely on heating or volatilizing the mercury. Each step in the process is fully integrated into a single, continuous process that can be run either in batch, semi-batch, or continuous-flow mode for the recovery of mercury and rare earths from fluorescent light bulbs.
- Surface-Hardened Al-Ce Alloys and Methods of Making the Same
Patent issued March 2020 #10,584,403 link to pdf
link to licensing information
Aluminum-cerium alloys which can be surface treated are important for certain applications where wear resistance is important. Through novel surface refining techniques it is possible to create a very hard surface morphology while maintaining a ductile bulk system. In addition, the surface morphology is stable during long term high-temperature exposure; an important property for materials which will be exposed to high wear scenarios. This invention includes surface-hardened aluminum-cerium alloys and methods of making the same.
- Novel Methods toward Selective Surface Modification of Nd2Fe14B Magnets to Achieve High Performance Permanent Magnets
Patent issued March 2020 #10,586,640 link to pdf
This invention disclosure reports a method of selectively applying Dysprosium (Dy) to improve the coercivity of Nd2Fe14B-based magnets. We have determined the corners of the magnet surface where the demagnetization fields are high through microscopic calculation of the demagnetization factors. Based on these results, we have selectively coated Dy onto Nd2Fe14B magnet surfaces and improved its energy product by optimized annealing conditions. The optimized process conditions can also be achieved by selective heating. With heating, the magnet can be selectively heated to allow the diffusion of Dy into the Nd2Fe14B matrix.
- High Throughput Cost Effective Rare Earth Magnets Recycling System
Patent issued May 2020 #10,643,776 link to pdf | Licensed
link to licensing information
Cost effective, five-step process to recycle rare earth (RE) magnets from computer hard drives (HDs) and potentially other consumer items such as electric motors, power tools, refrigeration compressors and electric generators.
- Acid-free Dissolution and Separation of Rare-earth Metals
Patent issued May 2020 #10,648,063 link to pdf | exclusive license issued
This invention is a simple, in-expensive and environmentally friendly chemical dissolution method for recycling NdFeB magnets. This invention has the following advantages:
1) Novelty and Purity of the separated lanthanide oxides achieved ~99%. This purity can be further improved if the materials are subjected to a second separation cycle.
2) Time efficient: This direct dissolution process requires less time than the current state-of-the-art process.
3) Environmentally-friendly: This process limits the need for acids.
4) Cost effective: This invention requires and inexpensive salt solution. The separation process is simple and requires no complex systems or equipment. It can be easily incorporated into existing manufacturing or separation processes.
- Task Specific Ionic Liquids Extractive Metallurgy or Rare Earth Minerals
Patent issued June 2020 #10,689,727 link to pdf
Patent issued November 2021 #11,186,893 link to pdf
link to licensing information
Extractive metallurgy invention dissolves rare earth element containing minerals important in the United States as well as metal oxides and metal carbonates. Direct contact between rare earth minerals of interest and the invented materials may be performed, resulting in an enrichment of the medium and heavy rare earth elements, thus allowing for an attractive pre-concentration process. In this metallurgical process, the primary constituents (La, Ce, Nd) may be effectively separated from minor constituents (Eu, Tb, Dy, Ho, Y).
- Al-Ce Alloy for Additive Manufacturing
Patent issued September 2020 #10,760,148 link to pdf
Patent issued November 2022 #11,491,546 link to pdf
link to licensing information
This invention comprises a range of Al-Ce alloys for use in laser additive manufacturing. Additive manufacturing processes produce fine alloy microstructures due to the characteristic high cooling rates. These fine structures improve mechanical properties relative to cast structure. In other Al alloy systems however, these structures are inherently unstable. Al-Ce alloys on the other hand show good thermal stability and an ability to retain these fine structures during long periods of time at elevated temperatures, such as though experienced during additive manufacturing due to the layer-by-layer nature of the process. Furthermore, the alloys are designed specifically for additive manufacturing in order to enable local microstructure selection via the manipulation of process parameters allowing for the tailoring of properties at specific locations within a component.
- Composite Nanoparticles Comprising a Complexing Ligand and Methods of Preparation Thereof
U.S. Patent issued April 2018 #10,760,168 link to pdf
- High Command Fidelity Electromagnetically Driven Calorimeter (High-CoFi EleDriCal)
Patent issued September 2020 #10,782,193 link to pdf
link to licensing information
The invention related to materials and more specifically to an electromagnetically driven thermophysical property measurement device that is capable in running in differential scanning calorimetry mode and differential thermal analysis mode. This thermophysical property measurement tool has an inherently low thermal mass and high power density in comparison to traditional resistive heating element systems and is therefore capable of enhanced temperature control not achievable using other methods.
- Methods of Recovering Rare Earth Elements
Patent issued March 2021 #10,954,585 link to pdf
Beta-diketones have an acidic proton that will react with reduced metals, and this has been shown react and chelate with transitional elements, rare earth elements and their alloys. This reaction can lead organic dissolution processes that do not require strong aqueous acids to dissolve the metals into a solution.
- Reactor Systems for Recovering Metals, and Related Methods
Patent issued June 2021 #11,035,023 link to pdf
A method of recovering metals from electronic waste comprises providing a powder comprising electronic waste in at least a first reactor and a second reactor and providing an electrolyte comprising at least ferric ions in an electrochemical cell in fluid communication with the first reactor and the second reactor. The method further includes contacting the powders within the first reactor and the second reactor with the electrolyte to dissolve at least one base metal from each reactor into the electrolyte and reduce at least some of the ferric ions to ferrous ions. The ferrous ions are oxidized at an anode of the electrochemical cell to regenerate the ferric ions. The powder within the second reactor comprises a higher weight percent of the at least one base metal than the powder in the first reactor. Additional methods of recovering metals from electronic waste are also described, as well as an apparatus of recovering metals from electronic waste.
- Diglycolamide Derivatives for Improved Separation and Recovery of Rare Earth Elements
Patent issued June 2021 #11,040,296 link to pdf
Discovery is diglycolamide derivatives that exhibit improved separation and recovery of rare earth elements, which can result in significant cost savings and, therefore, will encourage production of REEs domestically.
- Selective Chemical Separation of Rare-Earth Oxalates (CSEREOX)
Patent issued August 2021 #11,090,579 link to pdf
link to licensing information
This invention provides a new selective chemical separation method of rare earth oxalates with following advantages:
1) Chemical separation of lanthanide oxalates within two groups: La-Sm (low-priced) and Gd-Lu (high-priced).
2) Simple and fast: (a) no special equipment or extreme synthetic conditions are required for the extractant preparation; (b) it is an ‘one step’ separation process which takes a few minutes.
3) Environmental Aspects: (a) It is a water-based process (no mineral acids or organic 2nd phase required); (b) The best base candidate for an extractant system, 1-methylimidazole, is recognized by Sigma-Aldrich Company as a Greener Alternative Product, which adheres to one or more of the "12 Principles of Green Chemistry."
4) Cost effective: The required materials (oxalic acid and the respective base) as well as the whole process are cheaper compared to the state-of-art solvent extraction with organophosphorus compounds.
5) The separation process represents a substantial improvement to known separation technology.
- An Electrowinning Process for Recovering High Purity Rare Earth Metals from Room Temperature Ionic Liquids
Patent issued October 2021 #11,149,356 link to pdf
The invention describes a process for electrowinning rare earth metals by augmenting a room temperature ionic liquid with a secondary, tertiary, quaternary, etc. component (gas, liquid, salt, or supercritical fluid).
- Hard Disk Drive Dismantlement for Critical Material Recovery
Patent issued January 2022 #11,230,752 link to pdf
Patent issued February 2022 #11,250,980 link to pdf
This invention rapidly and economically disassembles hard disk drives to recover critical rare earth elements, metals, printed circuit boards, and other constituents. Additionally, this invention destroys data on spinning disk platters. An outcome of this invention is re-usable, unaltered materials that may potentially be reused in new manufactured hard disk drives. Our process does not damage components during disassembly and allows applications for directly re-using recovered components such as magnet assemblies, cases, and printed circuit boards. Re-use is not limited to hard drives, many items could be produced using various forms of HDD constituents such as magnetic powder that can be formed into magnets of any shape (e.g. 3D printed).
- Selective Composite Membranes for Lithium Extraction from Geothermal Brines
Patent issued February 2022 #11,253,820 link to pdf
This is a selective composite membrane for lithium extraction from geothermal brines that demonstrates high capacity and selectivity while operating under aggressive conditions.
- Separation of Rare Earth Elements Recovered from Scrap Permanent Magnets
Patent issued April 2022 #11,293,078 link to pdf
This invention would make possible the separation, recovery and reuse of highly valuable rare earth elements such as neodymium and dysprosium.
- Production of Castable Light Rare Earth Rich Light Metal Alloys from Direct Reduction Processes
Patent issued June 2022 #11,365,463 link to pdf
Much of the aluminum alloy market is highly cost sensitive and many application choose to use lower cost heavier materials rather than adopting aluminum. Additionally, rare earth mining operations result in the abundant production of waste materials rich in light rare earth elements, but which are no economical to refine further. These precursor materials can be used in combination with light metals to directly reduce the precursor creating a light metal, rare earth alloy. Also these alloys, because of the extreme low cost of the precursor compounds, can be produced for less than the cost of scrap recycled or primary aluminum.
- Materials designed for Structural Direct Write Additive Manufacturing of Molten Metals
Patent issued December 2022 #11,535,912 link to pdf | link to licensing information
This invention is specific to the alloy system and methods of controlling the melt rheology of metallic alloys for direct write additive manufacturing.
- Reactive Matrix Infiltration of Powder Preforms
Patent issued January 2023 #11,565,318 link to pdf
Method to use reactive liquid material to infiltrate particle preforms. The reactive material will form an interfacial bond with the structure produced from bound particles during or following infiltration. This bond will lead to increased coherency between the particle and infiltrant matrix. Increased coherency will result in further improved strength and structure uniformity. Infiltration will be performed above the infiltrant materials melting point but below the melting point of the powder preform material.
- Novel 3D Printing Method to Fabricate Bonded Magnets of Complex Shape
Patent issued February 2023 #11,590,717 link to pdf | link to licensing information
Successfully developed a 3D-printable epoxy-based ink for the direct-write additive manufacturing of bonded magnets. Also, demonstrated the preferential alignment of magnetic particles to improve the control over the properties of the printed object.
- Aluminum-Cerium-Manganese Alloy Embodiments for Metal Additive Manufacturing
U.S. Patent issued March 2023 #11,608,546 link to pdf
- Automated Recovery of Rare Earth Permanent Magnets from Electric Machines
Patent issued March 2023 #11,611,266 link to pdf
This invention describes a method for economic dismantlement of electric machines and other apparatus to recover critical rare earth elements and other value streams such as copper, printed circuit boards, aluminum, steels, wire, etc. This process ingests entire electric machines and dismantles them down to individual, separated value streams. The proposition is to automate the disassembly process for many types of electric machines by human-robot collaboration. The collaboration allows for rapid extraction of critical REEs by taking advantage of both human and robotic skill sets.
- Cerium, Cobalt and Copper Alloy doped with Tantalum and/or Iron as a Permanent Magnet Material
Patent issued May 2023 #11,649,537 link to pdf
A series of 1:5-type cerium, cobalt and copper alloys doped with Iron and Ta which retain or/and improve magnetic characteristics of typical 1 :5-type isotropic permanent magnets and represent a more economical and more favorable alternative to Sm-based magnets with respect to both material and processing costs. The purpose of this invention is to develop a "GAP MAGNET" that utilizes widely available and inexpensive Ce, which is a more affordable alternative to critical rare-earths, which makes the magnet significantly cheaper and less supply dependent, and yet successfully performs within the niche of energy products that exists between present-day low-flux and high-flux magnets.
- A Novel Bio-Based Material for Rare Earth Element Separation
Patent issued August 2023 #11,713,493 link to pdf
A bio-based rare earth element separation technology consisting of lanthanide binding tag-displayed E. coli and/or C. crescentus cells encapsulated within a polymer matrix and used as a column chromatography resin that enables a continuous flow system for the separation of individual REEs from aqueous REE-containing feedstocks.
- Method for Manufacturing of Samarium Cobalt and Neodymium Iron Boride Magnets
Patent issued August 2023 #11,715,592 link to pdf
A method for manufacturing high coercivity samarium cobalt and neodymium iron boride magnets that is compatible with additive manufacturing and requires no polymer binder. Samarium cobalt oxide and neodymium iron boride particles are the feedstock for the magnet, which can be deposited into near-net shape parts using additive manufacturing techniques such as electrophoretic deposition (EPD). The innovative part of the process is the critical conversion of these oxide nanoparticles which have been deposited into near net-shape parts directly to permanent magnets using calcium vapor during annealing.
- Rare Earth Element-Aluminum Alloys
Patent issued August 2023 #11,718,898 link to pdf
The present invention relates to aluminum alloys with rare earth element additions; and more particularly, this invention relates to formation of optimized rare earth element-modified aluminum alloy compositions for advanced manufacturing and methods for making same.
- Production of Permanent Magnets Using Electrophoretic Deposition
Patent issued August 2023 #11,735,359 link to pdf
Electrophoretic deposition (EPD) is used to additively manufacture permanent magnets. They can be of various compositions such as those based on Nd2Fe14B, SmCo5, Sm2Co17, and ferrites. The magnets may be functionally graded, for example the Nd2Fe14B system may have layers of Dy rich Dy-Fe-B or DyF3 selectively deposited on the magnet in areas where large demagnetizing fields will be applied. An externally applied magnetic field may be applied to anisotropic particles in the deposition chamber so that the particles are aligned as they are deposited. The magnetic field may be applied either parallel or perpendicular to the electric field, depending on the desired magnet orientation.
- Composite Nanoparticles Comprising a Complexing Ligand and Methods of Preparation Thereof
U.S. Patent issued April 2018 #10,760,168 link to pdf
- Aluminum alloys with improved intergranular corrosion resistance properties and methods of making and using the same
U.S. Patent issued September 2023 #11,761,061 link to pdf
- Chemical dismantling of permanent magnet material and battery material
U.S. Patent issued September 2023 #11,764,416 link to pdf
- YCo5-based compounds doped with Fe and Ni for high-performance permanent magnets
U.S. Patent issued December 2023 #11,837,389 link to pdf
This page lists information about CMI inventions that have received patents from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. A full list of CMI invention disclosures is available online.