Macrocyclic Chemistry: From Nobel Prizes to the Realization of Precision Industry
Scaling highly selective, high precision separations with Molecular Recognition Technology® (MRT™) What began as a Nobel Prize-winning discovery in “host-guest” chemistry has evolved into a cornerstone of modern industrial separation. By engineering molecules that recognize and bind specific metals with atomic precision, Molecular Recognition Technology® (MRT™) is realizing the decades-old vision of rearranging atoms to create a...Read More→
Catalytic Converter Recycling: Highly Efficient Recovery of Platinum, Palladium, and Rhodium with Molecular Recognition Technology® (MRT™)
The Environmental Origins of Catalytic Converter Technology The word smog brings to mind a gray, choking cloud—so integrated with the city that it seems impossible to escape. Irritating the nose, throat, and eyes, it clouds everything and leaves a film of grime on buildings, streets, and skin. Smog was once a common feature of major...Read More→
Removing Lead from Contaminated Water: How MRT™ Enables Highly Selective Lead Recovery
The Long Legacy of Lead Mining Lead is one of the most anciently worked metals. Evidence near present-day Turkey suggests lead smelting as early as the 7th century BC, possibly representing one of the earliest metal smelting sites. Over time, the myriad uses for lead expanded and its mining and use reached a peak during...Read More→
Recovering Critical Minerals from Oil & Gas Brines: Turning Produced Water into a Strategic Resource
Brines occur naturally in many environments, and they are increasingly recognized as potential sources of valuable minerals. Underground aquifers can become saline as water slowly dissolves minerals from surrounding rock formations. In the simplest terms, brine refers to water containing a high concentration of dissolved salts. But beneath that straightforward definition lies a complex mixture....Read More→
Removing Toxic Metals from Food Systems: How MRT™ Enables Ultra-Selective Heavy Metal Purification
Toxic Metals and the Modern Food Chain Toxic metals are an invisible hazard woven into the modern food chain. Among the most damaging to human health are lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic, and chromium. The effects of lead, arsenic, and mercury, were known to the ancients, while the dangers of cadmium and chromium have been realized...Read More→
Critical Minerals, Fragile Supply Chains, and the Role of Advanced Refining Technology
What Are Critical Minerals and Why Do They Matter? Of the thousands of known mineral species, some are particularly valuable to modern technology—and by extension to modern economies—and are therefore classified as critical minerals. As the name suggests, these minerals are considered to be critical to key industries and national security. Large economies throughout the...Read More→
Radionuclide Targeted Alpha Therapy and the Critical Role of Pb-212 Purification
The Limits of Conventional Cancer Treatments Cancer has been with us since before Homo Sapiens was a species distinct from our predecessors. Indeed, it plagued fish hundreds of millions of years before primates evolved [1]. The first written record of its diagnosis and treatment over four millennia ago involved incising hard tumors that had protruded...Read More→
When Clean Water Isn’t Safe: Arsenic, Unintended Consequences, and a Better Way Forward
The water in Bangladesh was dangerous. Collected from rivers and lakes, it often carried diseases like dysentery and cholera, contributing to a mortality rate of 168 in 1,000 in vulnerable populations like infants in 1975 [1]. The fix was simple and fast: drill wells so the water would be clean, free from the bacteria that grew...Read More→
Critical Minerals: Sb – How to get Pure Antimony
Antimony (Sb) is a critical mineral that gets its name from the Greek words “anti” (against) and “monos” (alone). With a name that means “not alone” it’s no wonder that antimony can be hard to separate from other elements. But obtaining pure antimony is important since it is used in batteries, flame retardants, ammunition, semi-conductors...Read More→
DLP™ is carbon free!
DLP™ is carbon free! IBC’s Direct Lithium to Product® (DLP™) process was recently evaluated by a third party for carbon emissions. Key findings include: 0️⃣The DLP™ process itself emits zero carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e). 🏭CO2e emissions come only from indirect emissions (purchased electricity) and upstream reagent emissions. ⚡With carbon reduction measures, such as purchasing energy...Read More→