Researchers at the University of Maine have developed a new method to recover high-value metals, including copper and aluminum, from contaminated powder mixtures. This breakthrough could strengthen the country’s “Made in USA” manufacturing goals.
These high-value materials are used to make precision-engineered parts, such as biomedical implants, aircraft components, battery materials, and cutting tools. Recognizing that material loss is a major challenge across critical sectors, the Maine researchers set out to address the issue.
Bashir Khoda, lead researcher and associate professor of mechanical engineering, noted that the new procedure could make manufacturing more robust by helping address uncertainty in the supply chain for critical minerals, which affects cost, availability, and production resilience.
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