[MITEI Seed] Electrochemical redox-mediated separation and recycling of rare earth elements

Description

Rare earth elements (REEs) are crucial components in high-tech products, particularly in green technologies such as electric vehicles and wind turbines. However, because of their physical and chemical similarities, REEs are very challenging to separate. Due to this, current REE processing techniques require multiple stages and are chemically and energy-intensive, dampening the realized environmental benefits posed by green technologies. To improve the sustainability of REEs and their end products, this project aims to develop a redox-mediated electrosorption process to efficiently separate REEs. A multi-functionalized carbon electrode will be synthesized to selectively extract specific elements from simulated REE waste streams. Initial experiments will be translated to a lab-scale prototype alongside a systems level model to optimize separation under continuous operation. Requiring only electricity to run, this process represents a key step towards enabling more sustainable manufacturing and recycling of clean energy technologies.