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Results for “metal recovery”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Effect of Fluoride Anions on Nd(III) Electrode Processes and Nd Metal Recovery in LiCl–KCl–NdCl 3

Here, this work investigated the impact of fluoride anions on Nd metal recovery in LiCl–KCl–NdCl 3 electrolytes by introducing LiF at a molar F/Nd ratio of 9 at 773 K. The voltammetric measurements confirmed that the fluoride ions facilitated single-step Nd(III)/Nd reduction by promoting the stability of the Nd(III) state compared to two-step reduction (Nd(III)/Nd(II) and Nd(II)/Nd) in all-chloride electrolytes. The stabilized Nd(III) state in the LiF-containing electrolyte effectively suppressed partial Nd(III)/Nd(II) reduction and the back-dissolution of Nd metal via comproportionation. By suppressing these reactions, high round-trip Coulombic efficiencies of 77–86% were achieved in the LiF-containing electrolyte during selective Nd deposition–removal cycles compared to 53–59% in all-chloride electrolytes. The Faradaic yield for Nd metal recovery was estimated at 38.6% in the LiF-containing electrolyte following long-term electrolysis, more than three times higher than 11.3% in all-chloride electrolytes. These results confirm the beneficial effect of fluoride ions on Nd metal recovery in low-melting chloride-based electrolytes, promising efficient Nd recovery at low temperatures.

11 - NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Lithium metal recovery and synthesis

A process and system for creating a lithium ion anolyte from lithium alloys. Metal and lithium alloys are processed to remove the metal with lithium from the alloy remaining. A lithium ion anolyte formed may be used in a process to form lithium metal. Alternatively, a process and system for recovering lithium from sources such as lithium alloys and lithium metal oxides and other feedstock such as recycled batteries into a thin lithium metal film via electrodeposition in an organic electrolyte contacting both anode (holder for lithium source) and cathode (substrate for lithium deposition) in a single-compartment electrolysis cell.

Ignacio de Leon, Patricia Anne↗
DOE OSTI2021

Extractants and extractant compositions for radioisotope and metal recovery

Disclosed herein are embodiments of an extractant that can be used for chromatographic isolation of radioisotopes and/or metal species. The extractant can be combined with a support medium to provide an extractant composition that selectively and efficiently binds particular radioisotopes and/or metal species. Also disclosed herein are embodiments of a method for using the disclosed extractant embodiments, as well as embodiments of a method for making the extractant and extractant composition.

Stein, Benjamin W.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Sustainable bioleaching of lithium-ion batteries for critical metal recovery: Process optimization through design of experiments and thermodynamic modeling

Recycling spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) could alleviate supply risks for critical metals and be less harmful to the environment compared to new production of metals from mining. Developing a cost-effective LIB bioleaching process could be a promising alternative to traditional energy-intensive recycling technologies. Here, this study aimed to optimize bioleaching conditions for maximum economic competitiveness through design of experiments using iterative response surface methodology (RSM), assisted by thermodynamic modeling. The optimal condition was identified as 2.5% pulp density in 75 mM gluconic acid biolixiviant at 55°C for 30 h which could recover 57%–84% of nickel, 71%–86% of cobalt, and 100% of lithium and manganese, yielding a 17%–26% net profit margin. The recommended pulp density and acid concentrations, together with the observed metal solubilization, were supported by thermodynamic modeling predictions. Our study demonstrated that combining RSM with thermodynamic simulations could be a powerful tool for optimizing bioleaching conditions.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Precious metal recovery from electronic waste by a porous porphyrin polymer

Significance Electronic waste, also called e-waste, is rapidly becoming a major industrial hazard because of the increased use of circuits and screens. With the right technology, however, this waste could become a sustainable source for precious metals. Such a solution requires selectivity toward the precious metals, as this characteristic is even more important than capacity. A porphyrin-based porous polymer with selective binding shows remarkable selectivity and a reductive mechanism, a combination which makes for record-high recycling of precious metals––particularly gold––from e-waste.

Hong, Yeongran↗
DOE OSTI2022

Economic analysis of precious metal recovery from electronic waste through gas-assisted microflow extraction

The recycling of end-of-life (EoL) electronic products is motivated by the enormous investment of resources in their creation and the environmental concerns associated with electronic waste (e-waste). Hydrometallurgical methods that utilize conventional leaching and solvent extraction are often applied to extract target materials from e-waste; however, these techniques have significant technical and economic limitations when extracting high-value, low concentration metals from complex waste streams. This study proposes and evaluates a novel process based on gas-assisted microflow extraction (GAME) that efficiently recovers precious metals from waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs). Further, an economic analysis is conducted to verify the economic feasibility of the GAME-based process at an industrial scale. The economic outputs are further investigated to identify the most cost-effective production strategies, particularly with respect to the plant feedstock rate. It is envisioned that this study may establish a paradigm for making economically-informed decisions for sustainable technologies.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2026

Protein engineering for critical metal recovery beyond REEs

Achieving decarbonization and electrification goals will require expanded production of critical minerals (CM), including Li, Co, Cu, rare earths, Ni, and graphite, whose supply chains are geopolitically vulnerable. Problematically, current extraction and separation processes pose severe environmental burdens that impede the development of a diversified domestic supply chain and undercut the environmental benefits of energy technologies [1, 2]. The development of efficient, economical, and environmentally sustainable processing technologies is thus important for meeting the CM demand of the emerging energy technology market. To this end, we have recently developed an all-aqueous protein-based process for rare earth element (REE) extraction and separation. To extend our protein-based approach to critical metals beyond REEs, the goal of this project was to develop a protein discovery and engineering pipeline to generate a panel of proteins that selectively bind target critical metals.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2020

Salts in Hot Water: Developing a Scientific Basis for Supercritical Desalination and Strategic Metal Recovery

Given the steady growth in world population and the ever-increasing fresh water demand, the only sustainable water supply option is desalination. Conceptually, desalination is very simple - just separate dissolved salts from water. While desalination research programs have existed since the 1960s and have resulted in a multitude of approaches, realizing affordable desalination has proven to be a challenge. Our goal is to meet this challenge using low cost heat sources to drive a liquid-discharge-free desalination process that can be co-mingled with the extraction of economically valuable co-products. High temperatures and pressures will be used to manipulate water’s properties, such as the dielectric constant, and hence its ability to solvate ions. Selective precipitation/recovery of valuable metal co-products creates new revenue streams (i.e., cost offsets). We will develop the scientific understanding necessary to control salt precipitation from supercritical seawater, inland brines, and water commonly co-produced with oil and gas. Atomistic simulations will be used to understand at a molecular level the changes in hydrogen bonding and ion solvation that occur as we increase the temperature and/or pressure and change the density and ion concentration. Our simulation results will also aid in the interpretation of experimental data and guide the development of applied thermodynamic models for engineering design calculations.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Salts in Hot Water: Developing a Scientific Basis for Supercritical Desalination and Strategic Metal Recovery

The w21_superdesal project is part of an LDRD-DR on supercritical desalination (20190057DR). The goal of the simulation work is to use atomistic simulations to understand at a molecular level the changes in hydrogen bonding and ion solvation that occur as we increase the temperature and/or pressure and change the density and ion concentration. Our simulation results will also aid in the interpretation of experimental data and guide the development of applied thermodynamic models for engineering design calculations.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
NASA NTRS1988

Phenomenological modeling of hardening and thermal recovery in metals

Modeling of hardening and thermal recovery in metals is considered within the context of unified elastic-viscoplastic theories. Specifically, the choices of internal variables and hardening measures, and the resulting hardening response obtained by incorporating saturation-type evolution equations into two general forms of the flow law are examined. Based on the analytical considerations, a procedure for delineating directional and isotropic hardening from uniaxial hardening data has been developed for the Bodner-Partom model and applied to a nickel-base superalloy, B1900 + Hf. Predictions based on the directional hardening properties deduced from the monotonic loading data are shown to be in good agreement with results of cyclic tests.

Chan, K. S.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Structure and Potential–Dependent Selectivity in Redox–Metallopolymers: Electrochemically Mediated Multicomponent Metal Separations

Electro-responsive functional materials can play a critical role in selective metal recovery and recycling due to the need for molecular differentiation between transition metals in complex mixtures. Redox-active metallopolymers are a promising platform for electrochemical separations, offering versatile structural tuning and fast electron transfer. First, through a judicious selection of polymer structure between a main-chain metallopolymer (polyferrocenylsilane) and a pendant-group metallopolymer (polyvinylferrocene), charge-transfer interactions and binding strength toward competing metal ions are tuned, which as a result, dictate selectivity. For example, almost an order of magnitude increase in separation factor between chromate and meta-vanadate can be achieved, depending on polymer structure. Second, these metallopolymer electrodes exhibit potential-dependent selectivity that can even flip ion preference, based solely on electrical means—indicating a control parameter that is orthogonal to structural modifications. Finally, this work presents a framework for evaluating electrochemical separations in multicomponent ion mixtures and elucidates the underlying charge-transfer mechanisms resulting in molecular selectivity through a combination of spectroscopy and electronic structure calculations. Furthermore, the findings demonstrate the applicability of redox-metallopolymers in tailored electrochemical separations for environmental remediation, value-added metal recovery, waste recycling, and even mining processing.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2025

Biotechnological solutions for critical mineral recovery from unconventional feedstocks

Secure and sustainable metal recovery from unconventional feedstocks is needed to meet the mineral demands of energy, defense, and electronic technologies. Here, we highlight the potential to leverage nature’s ability to extract and differentiate metal ions in biotechnologies that could become the next generation of mining and refining. We describe bulk and trace processes and then discuss the advances and opportunities of two key bioprocesses: microbially mediated solubilization of metal ions from solid matrices (termed ‘bioleaching’) and bio-based separation of solubilized ions via selective adsorption to proteins. Both biotechnologies have advantages such as reduced energy input for leaching low-grade feedstocks and reduced organic solvent demand for separating ions with similar physiochemical properties but require more development for industrial scale recovery from unconventional feedstocks. Innovation in biological science and engineering may bring timely solutions to key challenges toward recovering critical minerals from unconventional feedstocks.

organic↗
DOE OSTI2020

Development of Process Flowsheets for the Recovery of Metals by Solvent Extraction to Recycle Battery Materials: Evaluation of Application of AMUSE Code. Final CRADA Report

RSR Technologies (RSRT) wished to investigate the use of the AMUSE solvent extraction code, housed at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) to evaluate the recycling of battery cells for the reclamation of metal values. The modeling studies were undertaken by the group at ANL to evaluate several separation schemes for battery metals using solvent extraction. These studies would develop a framework to be experimentally validated at RSRT at its facility in Dallas, TX. The AMUSE code modeling work would speed the development of recovery flowsheets for spent batteries.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗