SBIR-STTR Award

This SBIR Phase I project will demonstrate the feasibility of a novel process whereby rare earth metals can be extracted from industrial and post-consumer waste materials and then readily separated into the individual metals. Conventional procedures for accomplishing this difficult task typically employ numerous steps and generate large quantities of waste. Since the proposed process is based on physical separation (distillation) rather than chemical separation, the problem of poor selectivity that plagues other rare earth separation processes is circumvented. The technical and commercial feasibility of the proposed technology will be investigated according to the following objectives: (1) Optimization of the extraction rate of extraction of metals from magnetic alloys (2) Optimization of the separation of the individual metals from rare earth alloy machining sludge and post-consumer magnets (3) Elaboration of methods for conversion of isolated rare earth compounds into their corresponding oxide and metal forms, and (4) Determination of methods to produce magnetic alloy powders that can be used to fabricate new magnets. Completion of these tasks will remove significant barriers and risks associated with commercialization the proposed technology. It will validate that both extraction and separation and recycling of rare earth elements can be accomplished both facilely and economically.

This Phase II SBIR project seeks to develop and commercialize methods for recycling rare earth materials from strategic waste streams. Rare earth materials are critical for a broad range of technologies. Important industrial sectors such as defense, manufacturing, energy, transportation, and electronics all utilize rare earths in abundance. There are currently a limited number of economically viable sources of rare earths materials, making the recycling of rare earths an invaluable practice to industry. However, presently only a small percentage of all rare earth materials are recycled. Xylon Technical Ceramics has developed and patented a unique, environmentally-friendly recycling technology that has the potential to be universally applicable to rare earth wastes. The proposed project would develop the commercial utility of the process to recover rare earths from thermal barrier coating (TBC) wastes. TBCs are critical to the aviation and energy sectors, and their production generates substantial amounts of waste. Xylon has successfully demonstrated the feasibility of the process for recycling TBC wastes during Phase I work. Positive results from this project will comprise a scalable, commercial manufacturing process to recycle rare earths from TBC waste in a manner that facilitates an environmentally safe and economically viable way to conserve critical resources.