Improving Methods to Recycle Rare Metals

University of Utah metallurgical engineering Ph.D. candidate Munro Alley is passionate about sustainable engineering. His experimental research focuses on developing more energy-efficient and cost-efficient approaches to producing critical materials like titanium and rare earth elements.

Critical materials like rare earth elements and titanium are limited in their application by their cost, which stems from the energy-intensive nature of their production.

The research group Alley works in has developed an approach to producing titanium based on the magnesiothermic reduction of titanium oxide in a hydrogen atmosphere that has the potential to compete with state of the art production practices in use today.

Alley is working to develop a similar novel approach to apply to other materials.

Alley’s innovative and hands-on approach to engineering research has made him a promising innovative scientist and engineer of the future.

More articles like this in ‘Student Innovation @ the U!’

Find this article and a lot more in the 2023 “Student Innovation @ the U” report. The publication is presented by the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute to celebrate student innovators, change-makers, and entrepreneurs.

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About the Author:

Avatar photo Vyana is a University of Utah student studying marketing and minoring in design. She has a strong passion for the outdoors, but when she is not surfing at her hometown waves or skiing at her favorite resorts in Utah, she is exploring new food restaurants or attempting new recipes. Here is a link that covers her favorite food spots in Salt Lake or from her hometown in Newport Beach: dangerouslydelicious.me.

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