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.

PNNL has formed a partnership with the Orlando-based firm Refinity, which has licensed a key process from PNNL that will help the company convert mixed plastic waste into valuable industrial products like chemicals, plastics, and fuels.

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.

In a recent study, PNNL researchers found that noncrystalline mineral surfaces can bind microbial residues to build soil organic matter.

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

PNNL researchers have found yet another way to turn trash into treasure: using algal biochar, a waste production from hydrothermal liquefaction, as a supplementary material for cement.

Understanding molecular modifications of proteins in the red yeast could help scientists re-engineer the organism’s phenotype.

PNNL chemical engineer Mariefel Olarte shares passion for mentoring students and the next-generation workforce.

Francesca Pierobon holds a joint appointment with UW and WSU to advance low-carbon technologies.

PNNL has developed a decision tool that provides contractors and installers with the information they need to properly select and install cold climate heat pumps, which are a key technology for achieving decarbonization.

The Heat Pump Water Heater Installation Tool, developed at PNNL, has been released by the Department of Energy for public use.

Recycling polyolefin materials is challenging. One waste management strategy is plastic upcycling. New work demonstrates a single-step upcycling route coupling cracking and alkylation, recycling carbon and keeping valuable resources active.

An initiative from Washington State University and Snohomish County leaders is aiming to make Paine Field a nexus for testing and improving sustainable aviation fuels made from non-petroleum materials.

A larger HVAC workforce with training on modern heat pump technology will be pivotal to achieving the mass-scale electrification of household HVAC systems needed to meet building decarbonization goals.

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

A PNNL innovation uses steam to recover heat from the high-temperature reactor effluent in the HTL process, substantially reducing the propensity for fouling and potentially reducing costs.

PNNL researchers discovered a faster, more economical method to verify the amount of biofuel in mixtures of bio and fossil fuel.

A process developed at PNNL that converts biomass and waste into a chemical intermediate or into gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel is available for commercial licensing.