ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | JANUARY 2026 1 1 PROCESS TECHNOLOGY MECHANOCHEMICAL METHOD SPEEDS UP RECYCLING Researchers at Georgia Tech, Atlanta, developed a process to break down polyethylene terephthalate (PET) using mechanical force instead of heat or harsh chemicals. The team used a mechanochemical method to quickly convert PET back into its building blocks, creating a path toward cleaner recycling. The scientists hit solid pieces of PET with metal balls with the same force they would experience in a ball mill. This can make the PET react with other solid chemicals such as sodium hydroxide, generating enough energy to break the plastic’s chemical bonds at room temperature. Guided by thermodynamic calculations, the researchers exposed α-spodumene, a naturally occurring hard-rock lithium mineral, to FJH and chlorine gas. The single-step process eliminates the need for the traditional multistep acid roasting method, allowing lithium to be extracted directly as lithium chloride. With a flash of electrical current, the mineral shifted from its stable α-phase to the high temperature- accessed ß-phase, making lithium available for reaction with chlorine gas. The lithium then vaporized as lithium chloride, while aluminum and silicon compounds were left behind. This was complete within seconds. The team achieved nearly instant lithium extraction from spodumene, producing lithium chloride with 97% purity and 94% recovery. A startup from Prof. Tour’s lab, Flash Metals USA, is now scaling the technology for metals extraction from waste. rice.edu. The team used single-impact experiments along with computer simulations to map how energy from collisions distributes across the plastic and triggers chemical and structural transformations. These experiments showed changes in tiny zones that experience different pressures and heat. By mapping these changes, researchers gained insight into how mechanical energy can trigger efficient chemical reactions. Each collision created a tiny crater, with the center absorbing the most energy. In this zone, the plastic stretched, cracked, and even softened slightly, creating ideal conditions for chemical reactions with sodium hydroxide. High-resolution imaging and spectroscopy revealed that the normally ordered polymer chains became disordered in the crater center, while some chains broke into smaller fragments, increasing the surface area exposed to the reactant. The team plans to test real-world waste streams and explore if similar methods can work for other difficult-to-recycle plastics. gatech.edu. ONE-STEP PROCESS EXTRACTS USABLE LITHIUM Scientists at Rice University, Houston, developed a single-step process for extracting high-purity lithium from spodumene ore by using flash Joule heating (FJH). The technique rapidly heats materials to thousands of degrees within milliseconds and works in conjunction with chlorine gas, quickly converting the ore into usable lithium. Franklin Precision Castings (FPC) is celebrating 40 years of manufacturing precision investment castings. Since 1985, FPC has grown from a supplier of glass mold components to serving industries such as steel, oil and gas, and defense. FPC is the oldest continuously operating casting foundry in Pennsylvania. franklincastings.com. ABB, Zurich, launched a new version of its Millmate Thickness Gauge (MTG) technology. MTG Box Gauge measures aluminum strip thickness below 8 mm at the tail end of hot rolling, where accurate data is crucial for quality control. abb.com. BRIEFS Image shows the moment a polymer surface liquefies due to the high impact of a metal ball in a ball mill reactor. Justin Sharp demonstrates the team’s lithium extraction method in James Tour’s lab. Courtesy of Jeff Fitlow/Rice University.
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