An Electrochemical Approach to Critical Materials Via Molten Salts and Ionic Liquids

Both graphite and rare-earth materials are considered by the US Department of Energy to be critical materials. Due to their widespread use as anodes in batteries and magnets in wind turbines, the demand for high purity graphite and rare earth elements for battery and clean-energy applications is expected to increase for the foreseeable future. Herein, an electrochemical method for graphitization based on molten salts and an electrodeposition of rare earth elements based on ionic liquids, which require significantly reduced processing temperatures, will be presented. These electrochemical processes have great potential to reduce energy costs compared to existing processes.