EPSCoR Research Fellows @ NASA: Immobilized Ionic Liquids for the Selective Extraction of Rare Earth Critical Elements from Waste Streams

This Research Infrastructure Improvement EPSCoR Research Fellows project provides a fellowship to an Assistant Professor and training for a graduate student at New Mexico State University. This work is conducted in collaboration with the Ionic Liquid Science Lead at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. Through the fellowship, the principal investigator will study how newly developed solid materials can selectively capture and recover critical materials from industrial, post-consumer, and environmental waste streams. Examples of critical materials include rare earth metals, precious metals, or metals from batteries or electronic waste. The project will explore how the structure of these materials influences their ability to bind specific metals. Drawing on approaches from chemistry, materials science, and chemical engineering, the research will aim to develop more efficient and reusable alternatives to traditional extraction methods. This work will support cleaner recycling processes, strengthen the supply of critical materials essential to modern technologies, and expand student training opportunities in New Mexico, preparing a more skilled workforce in science and engineering.

This project will investigate the molecular-level interactions between immobilized ionic liquids and critical elements present in complex waste streams. The research will provide fundamental insights into how ion structure influences selectivity, extraction capacity, and material reusability. A suite of cations and anions will be synthesized and immobilized on tailored supports. These materials will be characterized using spectroscopic and surface analysis techniques, followed by evaluation in single- and multi-metal extraction studies. This project will advance the research infrastructure at New Mexico State University by enhancing faculty expertise in separation science and advanced materials development, providing hands-on research training for graduate students, and strengthening institutional collaboration with NASA. The project also supports broader goals in critical materials recovery, while integrating research with curriculum development and STEM workforce training in the state. Outcomes will inform the design of next-generation separation technologies for efficient chemical processing and enhanced resource security. This project is supported by the EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement Program: EPSCoR Research Fellows, which supports early- and mid-career investigators in eligible jurisdictions to develop collaborations at the nation’s private, government or academic research institutions. The EPSCoR Research Fellows: @NASA track specifically supports the investigators' collaboration with researchers at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) research centers.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Award Number: 2531850
Principal Investigator: Houqian Li
Funds Obligated: $300,000
State: NM