EES Seminar: Enabling critical materials technologies towards higher readiness levels, H. Jin, U. Arizona

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Critical materials such as rare earth elements, lithium, cobalt, and nickel are indispensable in energy applications such as electric vehicles and wind turbines, but their supply has been subject to significant uncertainties in the past few decades. Both public and private sectors have made significant investments on enhancing the supply chain resilience of critical materials, but many of the technologies are at an early stage of research and development. This talk focuses on supporting the development of sustainable technologies, processes, and supply chains for critical materials towards higher readiness levels through techno-economic analysis, life cycle assessment, and optimization techniques. Case studies will be provided on recycling of rare earth elements and Li-ion battery materials.

Hongyue Jin is an Associate Professor in the Department of Systems & Industrial Engineering and Craig M. Berge Faculty Fellow in the College of Engineering at the University of Arizona. She also serves as the Deputy of Crosscutting Research Focus Area at Critical Materials Innovation (CMI) Hub, an Energy Innovation Hub funded by the US Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office. Her research focuses on techno-economic analysis, life cycle assessment, and optimization for sustainability. Her research has been supported by Department of Energy, Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), National Science Foundation, and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).