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MIT researchers develop optimized sulfidation separation process for rare earth and other key metals

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New processing methods developed by MIT researchers could help ease looming shortages of the essential metals that power everything from phones to automotive batteries by making it easier to separate these rare metals from mining ores and recycled materials. —Antoine Allanore.

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MIT team engineers yeast to be more tolerant to toxic byproducts, boosting biofuels production; “tolerance module”

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In the US, ethanol production is limited in large part by its reliance on corn, which isn’t grown in large enough quantities to make up a significant portion of US fuel needs. To try to expand biofuels’ potential impact, a team of MIT engineers has now found a way to expand the use of a wider range of nonfood feedstocks to produce such fuels.

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MIT researchers propose mechanism for overcoming bottleneck in electroreduction of CO2

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Researchers at MIT have identified , quantified, and modeled a major reason for the poor performance of electroreduction processes to convert CO 2 to fuel or other useful chemicals. Depending on the material choice for the electrocatalysis, a certain variety of products is expected from the carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO 2 RR).

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MIT, Scripps study examines behavior of midwater sediment plumes from deep-sea nodule mining

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A region of the central Pacific—the Clarion Clipperton Fracture Zone (CCFZ)—is estimated to contain vast reserves of polymetallic nodules that are rich in nickel and cobalt—minerals that are commonly mined on land for the production of lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles, laptops, and mobile phones. earlier post ).

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DOE awards Core Power and MIT Energy Initiative funding for floating nuclear power research project

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The US Department of Energy’s Nuclear Energy University Program ( NEUP ) has awarded research funds to the MIT Energy Initiative, CORE POWER, and the Idaho National Laboratory for a three-year study into the development of offshore floating nuclear power generation in the US. Source: MIT CANES. Funding would come from the $1.2-trillion

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MIT, Brookhaven team develops simple method for stabilizing interfaces in solid-state lithium-ion batteries

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Now, a team of researchers at MIT and Brookhaven National Laboratory has developed a way of achieving results that equal or surpass the durability of the coated surfaces, but with no need for any coatings. Reaction product for annealing in air is from previous work. It doesn’t add much energy penalty to the fabrication.

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MIT electrolyte enables ultra-high voltage Ni-rich cathodes in Li-metal batteries

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MIT researchers and colleagues at two national laboratories have developed a sulfonamide-based electrolyte that enables stable cycling of a commercial LiNi 0.8 In a paper in the journal Nature Energy , the MIT team reports that a lithium-metal battery with the electrolyte delivers a specific capacity of >230?mAh?g

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