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.
Nanoscale domains of magnetically susceptible critical materials encounter enhanced magnetic interactions under external magnetic fields, providing a promising new avenue for separations.
In the search for rare physics events, extremely pure materials are essential. A partnership between PNNL and Ultramet has led to tungsten with low contamination from other elements.
A PNNL team has developed an energy- and chemical-efficient method of separating valuable critical minerals from dissolved solutions of rare earth element magnets.
To improve our ability to “see” into the subsurface, scientists need to understand how different mineral surfaces respond to electrical signals at the molecular scale.
The surface oxygen functionality of graphene oxide may be tuned using ultraviolet light, affecting how differently charged ions move through the material.
Practical decontamination of industrial wastewater depends on energy-efficient separations. This study explored using ionic liquids as part of the process, enabling efficient electrochemical separation from aqueous solutions.
The SHASTA program is doing a deep dive on subsurface hydrogen storage in underground caverns, helping to lay the foundation for a robust hydrogen economy.
A simple gel-based system separates metals ions from a model solution of dissolved battery electrodes without the need for specialty chemicals, membranes, or toxic solvents.
