Critical Materials Innovation Hub Research Highlights

High-performance critical-element-free permanent magnets

CMI researchers at Ames Laboratory conducted the research for the CMI highlight on High-performance critical-element-free permanent magnets

$X-ray diffraction patterns of precursor phases to L10 FeNi.$

High-strength, high temperature bonded magnets

CMI researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Ames Laboratory collaborated on the research for this CMI highlight on high-strength, high temperature NdFeB PPS bonded magnets

Magnetic hysteresis loops of AM fabricated NdFeB PPS bonded PM at room temperature. Sample ID: 1.1- as printed; 1.2-uncoated (dipped in pH 1.35 solution for 24 h), 1.3- coated with 3M ScotchWeld DP100 (dipped in pH 1.35 solution 24 h), 1.4- uncoated (aged at 80 °C; 95% RH; > 120 h), 1.5- coated with 3M ScotchWeld DP100 (80 °C; 95% RH; > 100 h) (bottom). Note the improved performance of the coated samples 1.3 and 1.5 relative to the uncoated samples 1.2 and 1.4.

Potential Alnico-surpassing gap magnet

CMI researchers at Iowa State University, Ames Laboratory and UC-Davis collaborated with researchers at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln for this highlight on a potential Alnico-surpassing gap magnet

Easy and hard-axis magnetic field sweeps in (Fe1-xCox)2B, x= 0.3, depicting a significant uniaxial anisotropy field of 0.6 Tesla. Anisotropy field at 500 K (not shown) essentially unchanged.

A new method to recover In, Ga, and Ge from zinc smelting

CMI researchers at Colorado School of Mines created a new method to recover In, Ga, and Ge from zinc smelting

Proposed processing of zinc ferrite residue from zinc smelting yields separate streams for the critical materials Ga, In, and Ge while also producing revenue from increased Zn recovery.

Simulations reveal precisely how water and ligands bind to the surface of a rare earth mineral

CMI researchers at ORNL and UC-Davis collaborated on simulations that reveal precisely how water and ligands bind to the surface of a rare earth mineral

Resemblance between the naturally occurring and the computed crystal structure morphology (left). The 2D free energy surface as a function of the distance (z) from the central layer and the number of water-water hydrogen bonds (n), highlighting the multilayered water structure and the associated exchange timescales at the water-xenotime interface(right).

Computer-aided design of bis-phosphinate ligands for selective adsorption on bastnaesite

CMI research at ORNL and UC-Davis led to computer-aided design of bis-phosphinate ligands for selective adsorption on bastnaesite

Illustration of conceptual design of surface-active molecules (collectors) that are positioned to provide an optimal binding with the (100) surface of bastnaesite, the natural crystal morphology, which is shown as a chiseled at edges hexagonal prism.

Reconciling diverging views on mineral depletion - a modified cumulative availability curve applied to copper resources

CMI researchers at Colorado School of Mines found diverging views on mineral depletion using a modified cumulative availability curve applied to copper resources

Modified Cumulative Availability Curve integrating copper reserves and resources. The vertical axis indicates the estimated extraction cost in different countries. The horizontal axis indicates remaining contained copper from known deposits.

Finding optimal conditions for bioleaching lithium cobalt oxide (LCO) cathode materials

CMI researchers are finding optimal conditions for bioleaching Lithium Cobalt Oxide (LCO) cathode materials

Bar graph compares the projected global warming impact of different leaching approaches.

Electrolyte design for separation of rare earth metals (Pr & Nd)

CMI researchers at Idaho National Laboratory worked with OLI Systems to create an electrolyte design for separation of rare earth metals (Pr & Nd)

0.0375 M Pr acetate, 0.0375 M Nd acetate, 0.2 M lithium tartrate (a) before dissolution of precipitate (b) after adjusting pH.

Selective REE recovery from magnet leachate

CMI researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Idaho National Laboratory and Pennsylvania State University working on biosorption had a technical paper published about the use of a novel protein for selective binding with rare earth elements