Catenaa, Thursday, November 20, 2025-Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have engineered artificial membrane channels that selectively extract rare earth elements, offering a cleaner, more efficient approach to sourcing materials critical for electric vehicles, smartphones, and green energy technologies.

The channels mimic natural protein transport systems, allowing ions with specific properties, such as europium and terbium, to pass while blocking common ions like potassium, sodium, and calcium.

This high selectivity enables recovery of rare earths from sources previously considered inefficient or uneconomical.

Laboratory experiments demonstrated the artificial channels preferentially transport europium over lanthanum by 40-fold and over ytterbium by 30-fold, surpassing traditional solvent-based separation methods that require multiple stages.

Advanced simulations indicate that water-mediated interactions between ions and channels drive this selectivity, exploiting differences in hydration dynamics.

The researchers plan to scale the technology for industrial use in the US, integrating clean energy to enhance sustainability.

The system could also be adapted for other critical minerals, including lithium, cobalt, gallium, and nickel, addressing growing supply concerns.

Middle rare earth elements, used in lighting, displays, magnets, and wind turbines, are in high demand, with US and European regulators warning of potential shortages.

The team’s approach offers a domestic alternative that reduces reliance on imports and mitigates global supply chain risks amid ongoing trade tensions.

Lead scientists Manish Kumar and Venkat Ganesan said the work draws on five years of membrane-based research, translating nature’s molecular recognition strategies into industrial-scale ion separation.

The project marks a significant step toward sustainable, efficient rare earth extraction that could support both technological innovation and national supply security.