Friday, August 8, 2025
Science
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • HOME
  • SCIENCE NEWS
  • CONTACT US
  • HOME
  • SCIENCE NEWS
  • CONTACT US
No Result
View All Result
Scienmag
No Result
View All Result
Home Science News Policy

Seven ORNL inventions licensed to Texas-based lithium recovery firm

May 7, 2024
in Policy
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
Hood Whitson, chief executive officer of Element3, and Cynthia Jenks, associate laboratory director for the Physical Sciences Directorate, shake hands
66
SHARES
598
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
ADVERTISEMENT

A collection of seven technologies for lithium recovery developed by scientists from the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory has been licensed to Element3, a Texas-based company focused on extracting lithium from wastewater produced by oil and gas production. 

Hood Whitson, chief executive officer of Element3, and Cynthia Jenks, associate laboratory director for the Physical Sciences Directorate, shake hands

Credit: Carlos Jones/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy

ADVERTISEMENT

A collection of seven technologies for lithium recovery developed by scientists from the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory has been licensed to Element3, a Texas-based company focused on extracting lithium from wastewater produced by oil and gas production. 

The technologies were developed through the Critical Materials Innovation Hub, a DOE Energy Innovation Hub led by Ames National Laboratory that is dedicated to accelerating scientific and technological solutions to ensure secure domestic supply chains for critical minerals and materials.

Lithium-ion batteries power electric vehicles, consumer electronics and defense technologies, as well as providing energy storage for the nation’s power grid. The worldwide lithium battery market is projected to grow by a factor of 5 to 10 in the next decade. 

“It is critically important to the United States economy and national security that domestic sources for lithium — both raw and refined — are developed,” said ORNL’s Cynthia Jenks, associate laboratory director for the Physical Sciences Directorate. 

As part of ORNL’s mission from DOE to advance clean energy technologies and secure the nation, ORNL conducts research that aims to ensure a stable domestic supply of critical materials for the electrification of transportation. Read more about ORNL’s lithium recovery research.

Parans Paranthaman, an ORNL Corporate Fellow, has spent many years investigating alternative sources of lithium, such as the waste brine generated by geothermal power plants and boron mine tailings.

“Less than 2% of our lithium comes from the U.S. and Canada, while the demand for lithium batteries for electric cars continues to grow,” he said. “To alleviate supply chain shortages, we need alternative sources of lithium.”

The technologies licensed to Element3 include membrane extraction techniques and new separation methods. The team of inventors behind the technologies includes ORNL’s Ramesh Bhave, Syed Islam, Jayanthi Kumar, Bruce Moyer, Paranthaman and Ilja Popovs. Former ORNL scientists Vishwanath Deshmane, Nicholas Linneen, Mary Healy, Tej Lamichhane and Henry Musrock also contributed to the technologies.

“This collection spans the entire process for direct lithium extraction, and it will help bring a true solution to market,” said Hood Whitson, chief executive officer of Element3. “We were attracted to ORNL because Bruce and Parans are truly world leaders and foundational scientists in this area of expertise.”

Moyer led CMI’s focus area for diversifying supply through new sources and transformative processes. Paranthaman led CMI’s project on lithium extraction and conversion from brines and minerals.

DOE’s Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office sponsored the research behind one of the inventions through the Critical Materials: Next-Generation Technologies and Field Validation funding opportunity in 2020.

Jennifer Caldwell negotiated the terms of the licensing agreement. For more information about available technologies for licensing, visit ORNL’s Technology Transfer website.

UT-Battelle manages ORNL for the DOE’s Office of Science, the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States. The Office of Science is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit energy.gov/science.



Share26Tweet17
Previous Post

Psychedelic therapy and ecological medicine symposium to be held at UCLA

Next Post

Research shows altered regulation of genes linked to prostate cancer among firefighters

Related Posts

blank
Policy

Illinois Tech Showcases Nation-Leading Energy Innovation at EV Readiness Community Awards

August 7, 2025
blank
Policy

Navigating the Future: A Thoughtful Strategy for Governing Emerging Quantum Technologies

August 7, 2025
blank
Policy

Emerald Publishing Enhances Research Integrity with Dimensions Author Integration

August 6, 2025
blank
Policy

NTU and NUS Strengthen Collaboration by Sharing Advanced Research Facilities to Propel Scientific Innovation in Singapore

August 6, 2025
blank
Policy

Key Traits Shared by Scientists Achieving Remarkable Early-Career Citation Success

August 6, 2025
blank
Policy

Survey Reveals Limited Public Support for Federal Reforms in Child Health Programs

August 6, 2025
Next Post

Research shows altered regulation of genes linked to prostate cancer among firefighters

  • Mothers who receive childcare support from maternal grandparents show more parental warmth, finds NTU Singapore study

    Mothers who receive childcare support from maternal grandparents show more parental warmth, finds NTU Singapore study

    27531 shares
    Share 11009 Tweet 6881
  • University of Seville Breaks 120-Year-Old Mystery, Revises a Key Einstein Concept

    942 shares
    Share 377 Tweet 236
  • Bee body mass, pathogens and local climate influence heat tolerance

    641 shares
    Share 256 Tweet 160
  • Researchers record first-ever images and data of a shark experiencing a boat strike

    507 shares
    Share 203 Tweet 127
  • Warm seawater speeding up melting of ‘Doomsday Glacier,’ scientists warn

    310 shares
    Share 124 Tweet 78
Science

Embark on a thrilling journey of discovery with Scienmag.com—your ultimate source for cutting-edge breakthroughs. Immerse yourself in a world where curiosity knows no limits and tomorrow’s possibilities become today’s reality!

RECENT NEWS

  • Metastatic Gastric Cancer: Survival Varies by Site
  • Remote Work’s Impact on Employee Well-Being: Balanced Benefits
  • Bendamustine Triggers ER Stress Apoptosis in Breast Cancer
  • Exploring Renal Pseudotumors in Pediatric Imaging

Categories

  • Agriculture
  • Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Athmospheric
  • Biology
  • Bussines
  • Cancer
  • Chemistry
  • Climate
  • Earth Science
  • Marine
  • Mathematics
  • Medicine
  • Pediatry
  • Policy
  • Psychology & Psychiatry
  • Science Education
  • Social Science
  • Space
  • Technology and Engineering

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 4,858 other subscribers

© 2025 Scienmag - Science Magazine

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • SCIENCE NEWS
  • CONTACT US

© 2025 Scienmag - Science Magazine

Discover more from Science

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading