Amine functionalized graphene oxide yields laminates with an enhanced capacity to adsorb rare earth elements, improved water transport, and greater stability for effective membrane-based separation of critical minerals.

Five PNNL innovations earned 2026 R&D 100 Awards for advances in biotechnology, manufacturing, critical minerals, and nuclear security.

Replacing commercial acid with acidic waste enables researchers to improve nickel extraction efficiency, lower projected costs, and improve process economics.

Localized gradients in magnetic fields have long-range effects on the concentration of rare earth ions in solution, facilitating field-driven extraction of critical minerals.

Studying a series of rare earth element compounds revealed differences in their magnetic behavior that will be leveraged for separations.

Soil mineral preferentially incorporates rare earth elements based on size, with implications for critical mineral extraction.

Scientists at PNNL have published a new article that focuses on understanding the composition, dynamics, and deployment of beneficial soil microbiomes to get the most out of soil.

A team of researchers from PNNL provided technical knowledge and support to test a suite of techniques that detect genetically modified bacteria, viruses, and cells.

SAGE is a high-efficiency genome integration strategy for bacteria that makes the stable introduction of new traits simple for newly discovered microbes.