The Elements of Innovation Discovered
The Elements of Innovation Discovered
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In addition to dealing a major blow to the economy, the COVID-19 pandemic has shined a spotlight on a chink in the United States' economic and security armor – an overreliance on foreign countries for the minerals and metals that lie at the frontend of American supply chains. "The COVID-19 pandemic has shown how delicate our supply chains are and that should be a wakeup call for all of us," Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources Chair Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said d...
Vanadium, which is in high demand today for its ability to strengthen steel alloys – specifically for manufacturing high-strength, low alloy rebar used in earthquake-resistant construction around the globe, as well as automotive, aerospace and military applications – is gradually gaining ground in the renewable energy sector. The hard, silvery-gray metal is the 22nd most abundant element in the Earth's crust, though it is rarely found naturally in its metallic form. Ins...
In what has been series of moves toward expanding its electric vehicle lineup, BMW Group has signed a 2 billion euro (US$2.28 billion) long-term supply contract with Northvolt, a Swedish manufacturer with a mission to build the greenest rechargeable batteries in the world. Northvolt's commitment to sourcing 100% of the energy it needs to produce battery cells from wind and hydroelectric power generated in northern Sweden was a deciding factor for BMW as it looked for new...
Already involved in nearly every facet of the rare earth supply chain, from mining these technology elements to manufacturing powerful REE magnets, USA Rare Earth LLC has cut a deal with Geomega Resources Inc. to recycle these metals. Under a letter of intent signed by the companies on July 15, Quebec-based Geomega would recycle rare earth-containing waste from producing neodymium-iron-boron permanent magnets at a facility New York-based USA Rare Earth is planning to build in...
BMW Group has secured a deal for 100 million euros worth of the sustainably sourced cobalt needed for the lithium-ion batteries that are powering its expanding line-up of electric vehicles. This important but oft-controversial battery metal will be acquired from Managem Group, a Moroccan mining company that produces cobalt, copper, fluorite, gold, silver, and zinc at its seven mines in Morocco and one in Sudan. The agreement with Managem will provide BMW with about 20% of its...
As NASA continues to prepare for mankind to set foot on the moon again in 2024, nearly fifty years after the last Apollo mission, unmanned missions continue to reveal more about our closest neighbor and its potential for habitation and resource development. Despite six successful Apollo moon landing missions, very little of the surface has been explored close up and our knowledge of the moon is limited. To put into perspective the amount of the surface of the moon mankind has...
Perovskite thin-film solar cells have been hailed as the next generation of low-cost, high-efficiency photovoltaic power generation if durability challenges can be overcome. Graphene, a two-dimensional wonder material that is finding its way into everything from virus killing sports equipment to electromagnetic radiation shields for satellite electronics, may also be the breakthrough scientist are looking for when it comes to creating more resilient perovskite solar cells....
Texas Mineral Resources Corp. has added fuel to USA Rare Earth LLC's strategy to establish a complete rare earth mines-to-magnets supply chain in the United States, which is already advancing much more rapidly than either company envisioned when they formed a partnership less than two years ago. Texas Mineral Resources is an exploration company that has outlined an enormous deposit of rare earth elements, lithium and 10 other critical minerals at its Round Top project about...
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, ultraviolet light has emerged as a popular way to kill novel coronavirus without the use of harsh chemicals. While research has shown that UV light is an effective destroyer of viruses and bacteria, the devices that emit a strong enough dose to get the job done tend to be bulky and expensive. "You have to ensure a sufficient UV light dose to kill all the viruses," said Roman Engel-Herbert, Penn State associate professor of materials science,...
Recycling metals from spent lithium-ion batteries and rare earths from outmoded computers play a vital role in the United States reclaiming its critical mineral independence, according to Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette. "Until our country can start mining and refining more of these materials or develop commercially viable substitutes, we must recycle as much critical mineral and REE content as we can from existing products," Brouillette penned in an editorial recently...
Manganese X Energy Corp. said recent tests have improved the efficiency and economics of recovering manganese from the exploration company's Battle Hill project in New Brunswick, Canada. Manganese is an increasingly important ingredient in lithium-ion and emerging battery technologies. "The demand for energy storage is too great for one technology to satisfy it, so we're looking for environmentally friendly, safe, inexpensive alternatives," said Jason Croy, a physicist at U.S....
VanadiumCorp Resource Inc. has positioned itself along the entire vanadium-based energy storage supply chain, from Canadian mineral exploration projects that could provide future supplies of this critical metal, to new technology to sustainably produce battery-grade vanadium, and even developing its own brand of vanadium redox flow batteries. "Whether you believe in climate change, reducing pollution, or simply making the world a better place, we can all agree there is no...
Mankind's use of minerals has evolved over the eons hand-in-hand with innovation. From the first crude fire starters and simple machines to the evolving wonders of the Information Age, human beings have looked to rocks and the minerals within them for the building blocks of technological advancement. Now comes an innovation that could change everything, especially for electronics that require their own power sources. University of Pennsylvania researchers have developed a...
With the commissioning of a pilot plant in Colorado now underway, USA Rare Earth LLC is one step closer to producing rare earth elements on American soil. Based in New York City, USA Rare Earth has set in motion a strategy to establish a completely domestic supply chain for rare earth magnets, which are essential for wind turbines, electric vehicles, smartphones, military hardware, advanced medical devices, and the physical backbone of emerging 5G networks. A key facet of...
Graphene Composites and G-Form are teaming up to develop and distribute athletic protective equipment that not only guards the wearer against blunt trauma but also from viruses such as COVID-19. G-Form already rides on the cutting-edge of technology when it comes to manufacturing comfortable athletic protective gear. The company's SmartFlex pads are constructed from materials that can change molecular structure on contact – soft when lightly touched, becoming harder with s...
Recently, advances in theoretical and experimental phenomena in studies surrounding spin transport electronics have emerged providing evidence that graphene and 2D materials could move electronics beyond Moore's Law. Intel co-founder Gordon Moore postulated that the number of transistors, those tiny on and off switches that represent the standard computer binary system, on an integrated circuit would double every two years and the costs to acquire computing power would be cut...
House Republicans have introduced legislation aimed at breaking the United States' dependence on foreign countries such as China for the minerals and metals critical to high-tech, renewable energy and other sectors of America's economy. Introduced by U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.) and U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.), the American Critical Mineral Exploration and Innovation Act of 2020 includes mine permitting reform, advanced critical minerals development strategies and...
A bit of graphene could double the strength of carbon fiber while reducing the cost of this material prized for its strength-to-weight ratio. About half the weight of aluminum but much stronger and rigid, carbon fiber is an ideal material for aircraft, sporting and safety equipment. At more than $10 a pound, however, this material has yet to compete with aluminum, which sells for less than $1/lb, for most commercial applications. The aerospace sector, where carbon fiber's supe...
From facemasks to "Full Metal Jackets", virus killing copper clothing is an emerging fashion trend for people looking to protect themselves as they venture out from the COVID-19 lockdown. Copper has been used to ward off illnesses for centuries and recent scientific research has confirmed that coronavirus and other microbes do not live long on copper surfaces. Now, clothing companies are weaving this antiviral metal into wearable textiles. United Kingdom-based Copper Clothing...
Graphene, the strongest and most highly conductive material known to man, happens to make really good speakers. Canadian start-up Ora Graphene Audio Inc. is taking advantage of the unique attributes offered by this miracle material in the world's first graphene headphones. Based in Montreal, Quebec, Ora originated from a conversation between co-founder Dr. Robert-Eric Gaskell and his brother, Dr. Peter Gaskell. "The idea to apply graphene to loudspeakers came from an...
Metal 3D printing has the potential to reshape the way metallic objects are manufactured and four companies – Desktop Metal, ExOne, Rapidia and Velo3D – are breaking new ground with their metal 3D printing technologies. Showcased in a recent report by International Data Corp. (IDC), a global provider of technology and telecommunications market intelligence, these companies are pioneering 3D metal printing technologies with the potential to reduce costs while providing sig...
Zen Graphene Solutions is collaborating with Graphene Composites Ltd. to develop a COVID-19 killing virucidal graphene-based composite ink that can be applied to fabrics, including N95 face masks and other personal protective equipment. Graphene Composites, a United Kingdom-based company with offices in the U.S, specializes in the technology of nanomaterials. Focusing on the usage of graphene and other distinctive materials, such as aerogels, they produce a range of products...
Providing the ability to traverse mountain trails or urban landscapes at blazing speeds and with less leg power, electronic bikes are now more than just a simple recreational activity, or even a low-cost and green transportation option for commuters. While the overall concept of a bicycle has not changed much, today's e-bike manufacturers are advancing new technologies and groundbreaking materials to produce the fastest and smartest cycles ever made. App-customizable...
U.S. Air Force Airman Technical Sergeant Ryan McBride, who is the sheet metal production lead of the 19th Maintenance Squadron, in collaboration with the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center are utilizing metal 3D printing to create stronger and less expensive brackets for Hercules C-130 fleets. Currently stationed at the Little Rock Air Force Base, McBride is the noncommissioned officer in-charge of metals technology. During his time working on C-130Js, McBride found...
The adoption of electric vehicles and renewable energy is driving increased demand for graphite, a major ingredient in lithium-ion batteries. Graphite, however, is high on a list of 35 critical minerals and metals not mined in the United States. Graphite One Inc. would like to shift America's reliance on foreign countries such as China for its graphite needs by developing a mine at Graphite Creek, a world-class deposit of graphite with some properties that make it uniquely...
