The buried treasure in your old smartphone

Hidden inside discarded smartphones, tablets, and old TV screens lies a surprising source of value: rare earth elements, or REEs. In 2019 alone, the world generated more than 53 million metric tons of electronic waste, yet less than 1% of these critical materials were recycled.

Now, researchers at Texas A&M University are working to change that by turning electronic trash into technological treasure.

To help reduce the United States' reliance on foreign sources of critical materials, the U.S. Department of Energy is investing $17 million into 14 projects focused on strengthening the domestic supply chain through safe, sustainable, and cost-effective solutions.

Among the selected projects is a collaboration led by Dr. Jenny Qiu, associate professor of mechanical engineering, and Dr. Shiren Wang, professor of industrial and systems engineering. Their team is developing a new way to pull REEs out of old electronics, like tablets, phones, and circuit boards. These materials—essential for powering everything from wind turbines and electric vehicles to smartphones and hard drives—are in high demand and short supply. This new method aims to recover them more efficiently and affordably than ever before.

As the global demand for REEs surges, largely due to the expansion of renewable energy and grid resilience efforts, supply shortages and costs have risen sharply. More than 80% of REEs are currently imported, making the U.S. supply chain highly vulnerable.

Texas A&M researchers, in partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and industry partners, are pioneering a new solid-phase extraction (SPE) technology. This method uses mesoporous carbon foams to selectively recover REEs from e-waste more efficiently. Unlike traditional extraction methods, which are energy-intensive and complex, SPE reduces energy use, cuts down on solvents, and streamlines the process, making it more environmentally friendly and commercially viable.

The goal is to develop technologies that are not only scientifically sound but also easily integrated into industrial applications.

The recovery of critical materials like neodymium—used in electric vehicle motors, wind turbines and hard drives—has the potential to lower manufacturing costs and reduce dependence on imported resources. This could make electronics and clean energy technologies more affordable and accessible.

Beyond SPE, the team will also explore additional sustainable manufacturing technologies to efficiently extract REEs from both e-waste and mining by-products. www.energy.gov/articles/us-dep … -robust-supply-chain

"Innovative materials and novel device design will facilitate the widespread adoption of renewable energy technologies and grid modernization efforts, leading to more sustainable and resilient energy infrastructure," Qiu said. "This research field is highly promising and positions mechanical engineering at the forefront of global energy transformation."

More information:
www.energy.gov/articles/us-dep … -robust-supply-chain

Provided by Texas A&M University College of Engineering