Shortages of rare earth elements could limit clean energy developmentSource:Rare earth elements — elements like scandium, neodymium, and dysprosium — have found their way into every aspect of our daily lives, from the highly visible, like smartphones and fluorescent lamps, to the seemingly invisible: hybrid cars, rechargeable batteries, and wind turbines. There are even cancer treatments requiring rare earth elements.Contrary to their name, however, rare earth metals are not actually rare. Or at least, not exactly. On average, they’re about as common as copper or nickel in the Earth’s crust. B...
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Source:Phys.OrgInside smartphones and computer displays are metals known as the rare earths. Mining and purifying these metals involves waste- and energy-intense processes. Better processes are needed. Previous work has shown that specific rare earth elements absorb light energy that can change their chemical behavior and make them easier to separate. Now, researchers have revealed how certain molecular structures can improve the efficiency of this light-driven chemistry to separate cerium, a rare earth element.The 17 rare earth elements are chemically similar. Methods used to purify the desir...
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New studies identify key molecular characteristics to separate rare earth metals cleanly and efficiently with lightSource:Green Car CongressMining and purifying rare-earth metals by conventional solvent extraction or ion-exchange chromatography methods are time-consuming, require substantial cost, and are unsustainable. Previous work has shown that specific rare earth elements absorb light energy that can change their chemical behavior and make them easier to separate. Now, researchers have revealed how certain molecular structures can improve the efficiency of this light-driven chemistry to s...
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Rare Earths: Scarce Natural Resource Needed for National Security Drives InnovationSource:New Security Beat Finding domestic alternatives for rare earths has become a matter of national security, according to a recently released Pentagon report. The United States’ defense, economy, and infrastructure depend on the electronics that rely on these mineral elements. Trade tensions between the United States and China over rare earths illustrate an important dynamic surrounding little-seen building blocks of our daily life.Rare earths are crucial ingredients in the powerful magnets used in all ...
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