Innovation Showcase Participants

2024 Innovation Showcase
Participants

* Denotes Innovation Award Winner

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Showcase Participants with Industry Area: Materials, Chemical and Maturity: Prototype
Ames National Laboratory
Ames, IA
www.ameslab.gov
Critical Rare Earth Free Cerium Gap Magnets
Cerium Gap Magnets have a unique intra-granular domain pinning mechanism, which allows obtaining coercivity without sintering. Ready-to-use magnets are efficiently cast on a kg-scale using a one-step process and noncritical cerium. Their strong performance and efficient production addresses supply risks and reduces energy consumption by eliminating numerous manufacturing steps.
Ames National Laboratory/Iowa State University Research Foundation
Ames, IA
www.ameslab.gov
A Method of Mechanochemically-Assisted Extraction of Lithium from α-Spodumene and Other Hard-rock Minerals
Method for extracting lithium from spodumene (mineral source) that eliminates the energy intensive and toxic waste producing steps. alpha-spodumene is ball milled with solid reactants, converting the lithium fraction into a water-soluble compound. Up to 96% of the lithium is then extracted by soaking and mixing with hot diluted acid.
Axelys
Montreal, QC
www.axelys.ca/en
Selective extraction of copper and nickel from low-grade sulfide mineral resources using complexation leaching and indirect CO2 mineralization
The technology allows selective extraction of copper and nickel from low-grade sulfide ores using complexation leaching instead of the conventional sulfuric acid extraction, while offering simultaneous indirect mineralization of carbon dioxide (CO2). There is no need for an enrichment step like comminution, flotation, smelting, or electrorefining between feedstock and final products.
Bambax Limited
Christchurch, Canterbury
www.bambax.co.nz
Bambax- Unique high barrier paper technology with high moisture resistance
Bambax has developed a disruptive technology that provides a proprietary water-based treatment to create extraordinarily high water vapor resistance to paper. The treatment can be incorporated into conventional processes for manufacture of flexible and rigid packages over a wide range of basis weights to produce recyclable and domestically compostable packages.
BMP Chemicals & Reborn+
Atlanta, GA
www.bmp-chemicals.com/
Unlocking the full value of recycled plastics by removing color and adhesive impurities
Over 2 billion USD in potential revenue is lost due to color and adhesive impurities in recycling plastic. Reborn+ aims to implement a process that eliminates color impurities from plastic packaging. This innovation will result in up to a 50% price increase from inverting mixed-colored recycled plastic to natural color.
Iowa State University Research Foundation
Ames, IA
www.techtransfer.iastate.edu
UV-Absorbing Coating Including Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles
Hydroxyethyl cellulose and zinc oxide nanoparticles are utilized to form thin films ranging in thickness from 0.2-2.5 μm that block up to 95% of UV light while maintaining visible light transmittance of 65%. These simple and cost-effective thin films provide a readily scalable solution to the issue of UV degradation.
PolyC Plastics and Composites
West Lafayette, IN
Cannabinoid-Based Bioplastic Materials Ecosystem
Sustainably-sourced cannabinoids are polymerized with ubiquitous linking monomers to create biopolymer plastics with readily tunable material properties. The novel Polycannabinoid platform boasts high hydrophobicity, inherent antioxidant/anticorrosion properties, and degradation paths for a circular economy. Polycannabinoid properties have been leveraged in transient electronics, biomonitoring, and nanotechnology.
Software for Chemistry & Materials
Amsterdam, Noord Holland
www.scm.com
Active machine learning for accelerated materials design
Expedite the development of new materials and devices by reducing wasteful time and resources. Expand the search space and focus on promising new battery, semiconductor, catalysts, photovoltaic, and polymer materials through machine-learning accelerated atomistic and multiscale simulations.
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN
research.umn.edu/units/techcomm
Biomass microbeads for personal care consumer products
Microbeads for use as an exfoliant and thickening agent in personal care and cosmetic products. Unlike traditional plastic microbeads, these biomass-derived microbeads are biodegradable. This technology provides a sustainable alternative that does not contribute to plastic pollution while maintaining the desired properties needed for use in the cosmetic industry.
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN
research.umn.edu/units/techcomm
Additives for repurposing mixed plastic waste
By introducing a reactive additive, different types of plastics can be combined and recycled together without being separated. Even with a small percentage of these additives, the resulting plastic blends exhibit increased strength and toughness, offering a more functional and eco-friendly approach to plastic recycling.
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN
research.umn.edu/units/techcomm
Silica-based nanoparticles for PFAS remediation
Silica nanoparticles with an affinity for dangerous forever chemicals known as PFAS are taken up by plants and assist in removing both short and long-chain PFAS from contaminated soil and water. This eco-friendly solution is non-toxic, environmentally beneficial to plants, and offers a promising avenue for broad-spectrum PFAS remediation.