Circular Economy of Critical Elements: Ionic Liquid Additives for Improved NdFeB Magnet Recycling

Critical Elements are the elements that are important for the economy, in particular for modern technologies, but their secure supply is at risk (for example, because they are sourced from a politically volatile region). For such elements, it is very important to develop closed recycling loops, in which waste components are processed to reclaim critical elements, that are subsequently reused. An example of such strategically important components, enabling the transition to renewable energy sources, are Rare Earth Permanent Magnets, used in the motors of electric vehicles and wind turbines. Manufacturing of such magnets is reliant on rare earth elements, such as neodymium, dysprosium and terbium. 

Efficient hydrometallurgical separation of rare earths from NdFeB magnets is critical for their recycling and relies on robust process chemistry. Ionic liquid extracting additives were found to be a promising solution, promoting better phase separation and increased separation factors of the rare earth metals, but the mechanism of their role in increasing separation factor is not understood, and the cationic structure has not been optimised. This PhD project aims to develop strategically designed ionic liquid additives that enhance separation and phase partitioning in an existing pilot/demonstration-scale NdFeB recycling process. The ultimate goal is to deliver high-performance ionic liquid additives that boost separation factors, phase separation, and process robustness, in close collaboration with Belfast-based magnet recycling company, Ionic Technologies, co-sponsoring this project.

The successful candidate will have interest in coordination chemistry and spectroscopic speciation studies (UV-VIS and Raman spectroscopies in house, as well as EXAFS at Diamond Light Source or European Synchrotron Radiation Facility – ESRF) as well as simple organic synthesis. At a later stage of the project, they will receive comprehensive training in metal separations for circular economy applications, including process modelling, techno-economic assessment and life cycle analysis, ensuring that the proposed solutions are not only technically sound but also commercially viable. This interdisciplinary, highly collaborative PhD project will equip the student for a successful career of their choice, be it academia or ever-growing clean technologies sector of industry. The student will be associated with Queen’s University Ionic Liquid Laboratories (QUILL) and will have an opportunity for frequent interactions with the industrial partner, as well as site visits to Ionic Technologies plant.

Applications must be submitted online, by the deadline, using the QUB Direct Application Portal https://dap.qub.ac.uk/portal/user/u_login.php