ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 5 INERTIAL FUSION ENERGY HUB ANNOUNCED The U.S. Department of Energy awarded a four-year, $16 million project to a multi-institutional team led by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) to accelerate inertial fusion energy (IFE) science and technology. The effort will be carried out by the newly established IFE Science and Technology Accelerated Research for Fusion Innovation and Reactor Engineering (Starfire) Hub. “The achievement of ignition at LLNL’s National Ignition Facility provides fresh impetus and the scientific foundation for IFE,” says LLNL’s Tammy Ma, principal investigator for the hub. The IFE-Starfire Hub will accelerate demonstration of high-gain target designs, target manufacturing and engagement, and diode-pumped solid state laser technologies, with development of these technologies guided through an IFE-plant modeling framework. The project also will begin RESEARCH TRACKS The Fives Group, Paris, is developing the first CO2 capture solutions for the aluminum industry through a consortium project with Aluminium Dunkerque, Trimet, and Rio Tinto. The collective aims to achieve a 50% reduction in direct CO2 emissions from primary aluminum production by 2030. fivesgroup.com. BRIEF developing the workforce of the future for IFE through partnerships with universities involving new curriculum development. The hub consists of members from seven universities, four U.S. national labs, one international lab, three commercial entities, one philanthropic organization, and three private IFE companies. llnl.gov. SAFE AND SPEEDY BATTERY RECYCLING Spent lithium-ion batteries from laptops, cell phones, and electric vehicles are continuing to accumulate, but most recycling options are limited to burning or chemically dissolving the shredded batteries. Researchers at the DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have improved on approaches that dissolve the battery in a liquid solution to reduce the amount of hazardous chemicals used in the process. The team’s simple and environmentally friendly process overcomes the main obstacles found in traditional approaches. The used battery is soaked in a solution of organic citric acid dissolved in ethylene glycol. This produces a surprisingly efficient separation and recovery process for the metals in the battery cathode, say researchers. “Because the cathode contains the critical materials, it is the most expensive part of any battery, contributing more than Researchers examine vials containing a chemical solution that causes cobalt and lithium to separate from a spent battery. Courtesy of ORNL. 30% of the cost,” says battery researcher Yaocai Bai. “Our approach could reduce the cost of batteries over time.” The research was conducted at ORNL’s Battery Manufacturing Facility, the country’s largest open-access battery manufacturing R&D center. The new recycling method leaches nearly 100% of the cobalt and lithium from the cathode without introducing impurities into the system. It also enables efficient separation of the metal solution from other residues. In addition, the new process serves a secondary function by recovering over 96% of the cobalt in a matter of hours, without the addition of more chemicals in what can be a tricky process of manually balancing acid levels. “This is the first time one solution system has covered the functions of both leaching and recovery,” explains lead researcher Lu Yu. “It was exciting to find that the cobalt would precipitate and settle out without further interference. We were not expecting that.” ornl.gov. The new LLNL-led IFE-Starfire Hub seeks to accelerate inertial fusion energy science and technology.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTYyMzk3NQ==