Efficient and sustainable recycling of lithium-ion batteries is a crucial element in electrifying transportation. Black mass is a mixture of cathode and anode materials remaining after disassembly and shredding of end-of-life lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Many valuable materials, including lithium and…
A dual process strategy bridging fermentation and electrochemistry is enabling the production of mid-chain carboxylic acids (MCCAs) — important and valuable precursors to a number of products — using inexpensive organic waste streams from breweries, distilleries and dairies. Developed by…
The extraction of alumina from bauxite is significantly impacted by the silica content of the ore — specifically the presence of silica in kaolinite (Al2Si2O5(OH)4). This is because traditional bauxite-beneficiation methods, such as washing, flotation and particle-size separation, also typically…
Aggregate — solid materials like sand, gravel and crushed stone — is combined with cement to make concrete, the world’s most widely used human-made material. But sand is in short supply, so there is a need for alternate materials to…
Aluminum smelting operations require molten cryolite, also commonly called bath, to serve as the electrolyte and dissolve alumina. A typical smelter produces excess bath over time, and there are few markets for reuse or recycle of this material, especially as…
A new approach to enzyme engineering has overcome many of the operating challenges associated with large-scale bio-based manufacturing processes by designing enzymes that can thrive outside living cells, eliminating complexity and improving reaction yields. eXoZymes’ (Monrovia, Calif.; www.exozymes.com) cell-free enzyme…
Decreasing the dependence on expensive platinum-group metals like iridium is vital for the expansion of “green” hydrogen production via proton-exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis. Efforts to develop lower-iridium catalytic components for electrolysis have typically focused on mixing iridium into a…
A team of scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL; Richland, Wash.; www.pnnl.gov) recently unveiled a modified version of the “superalloy” Inconel 617, in which cobalt — a component of the alloy that is also a critical material with significant…
The industrial production of aluminum involves electrolysis of alumina (Al2O3) in molten cryolite, a mineral used as a solvent for the aluminum oxide raw material. Over time, the cryolite accumulates impurities, such as sodium, lithium and potassium ions, which degrade…
For product developers, understanding a substance’s biodegradability is essential in many applications to ensure compliance with toxicity and environmental regulations. Aropha, Inc. (Cleveland, Ohio; www.aropha.com) has developed a platform for biodegradability testing that reaches far beyond the typical breadth of…