The Elements of Innovation Discovered
The Elements of Innovation Discovered
$7M to upgrade coal waste into 3D printing resins, graphite Metal Tech News – October 13, 2021
Heaps like this mountain of coal waste in Trevorton, Pennsylvania, would see new purpose with the technologies being researched by DOE funding.
The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management Oct. 5 announced nearly $7 million in funding for seven projects to develop coal-based filaments or resins for additive manufacturing, and advance development of coal-derived graphite.
The projects selected, to be managed by the National Energy Technology Laboratory's Carbon Ore Processing Program, will use materials derived from coal wastes like tailings and ash for additive manufacturing via 3D printing and to produce graphite that is used to manufacture batteries, fuel cells, and energy storage devices.
The selected projects are:
• Coal-Enhanced PEEK Filament Production for Additive Manufacturing in Industrial Services –
Baker Hughes Energy Transition LLC (Houston, Texas).
• Fused Deposition Modeling Additive Manufacturing of Carbonized Structures via Waste-Enhanced Filaments – Ohio University (Athens, Ohio).
• Coal Waste-Enhanced Filaments for Additive Manufacturing of High-Temperature Plastics and Ceramic Composites – Semplastics EHC (Oviedo, Florida).
• Lab-scale Production of Coal-Derived Graphene Particle Bonded Filaments – University of Delaware (Newark, Delaware).
• Utilization of Carbon Supply Chain Wastes and Byproducts to Manufacture Graphite for Energy Storage Applications – Ohio University (Athens, Ohio).
• Molded Graphite Products Synthesized from Waste Coal – Touchstone Research Laboratory (Triadelphia, West Virginia).
• Advanced Processing of Coal and Coal Waste to Produce Graphite for Fast-Charging Lithium-Ion Battery Anode – University of North Dakota Energy & Environmental Research Center (Grand Forks, North Dakota).
The complete breakdown of funding by the DOE for these projects and the work they are undertaking can be read here: https://www.energy.gov/fecm/articles/funding-opportunity-announcement-2405-advanced-coal-waste-processing-production-coal.
In order to extract the full economic value from coal wastes in a sustainable way, the NETL Carbon Ore Processing Program is seeking to address and deliver solutions by supporting novel technologies that produce valuable products from coal-waste derived sources through laboratory- and pilot-scale research and development.
"Ohio is leading the way on industrial energy efficiency," said U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown. "These federal funds will allow us to continue to invest in cutting-edge energy technology, so that we're creating local jobs and improving our economy in a responsible and sustainable way, while developing the next generation of innovative technology."
Similar statements were given by various local government officials where these projects are being undertaken, as recognition for the eventual shift from fossil fuel industries grows, innovative and clean methods to using or reusing resources like coal can still provide creative and efficient materials for a decarbonized future.
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