Plasma and lemon juice: Milder method retrieves nearly 95% of critical minerals in battery waste
A 15-minute plasma pretreatment helped recover lithium, cobalt, nickel and graphite from spent lithium-ion batteries, pointing to a lower-chemical, lower-energy approach to recycling.
Boron arsenide semiconductor sets record in quantum vibrations
A new Rice study reports an unusual quantum coherence of phonons in cubic boron arsenide, a semiconductor with promising electronic and thermal properties.
Thorny issue plaguing lithium-ion batteries laid bare in new study
Lithium-ion batteries could improve thanks to Rice researchers’ unprecedented measurements of lithium dendrites’ stiff, brittle behavior.
Granular activated carbon-sorbed PFAS can be used to extract lithium from brine
James Tour and his research team developed a process to use PFAS to extract lithium from high-salinity brine pools in a study recently published in Nature Water.
New technique spots hidden defects to boost reliability of ultrathin electronics
Researchers at Rice have shown that hard-to-spot defects in a widely used two-dimensional insulator can trap electrical charges and locally weaken the material, making it more likely to fail at lower voltages.
Diamond owl swoops in with new method to keep electronics cool
A Rice research lab’s signature keepsake helped perfect a method for growing patterned diamond surfaces that could help decrease operating temperatures in electronics by 23 degrees Celsius.
Metabolic clues emerge from new molecular map of Alzheimer’s
Rice scientists have developed the first complete, label-free molecular atlas of the Alzheimer’s brain in an animal model.
Rice joins national team studying how energy moves through materials
Rice materials scientists Boris Yakobson and Ming Tang are part of a multi-university team selected for a Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative award from the Office of Naval Research.
Researchers at Rice produced graphene by replicating Edison's 1879 light bulb experiments.
Rice researchers awarded Hill Prize in Engineering for light-driven ammonia synthesis
Rice’s Naomi Halas, Peter Nordlander and Hossein Robajatzi have been awarded the 2026 Hill Prize in Engineering for their work advancing light-driven technologies for sustainable ammonia synthesis.
Rice Brain Institute awards first seed grants to jump-start collaborative brain health research
The Rice Brain Institute has announced the awardees of its first funding initiative, a seed grant program that is a collaborative effort between the university and four institutional partners in the Texas Medical Center.
Engineered material uses light to destroy PFAS, other contaminants
Materials scientists at Rice and collaborators have developed a material that uses light to break down a range of pollutants in water, including “forever chemicals” or PFAS.
Materials that match the brain: Rice engineer earns Sontag Foundation distinction
Rice materials scientist and neuroengineer Christina Tringides has been named a Distinguished Scientist by the Sontag Foundation, a national recognition for early career researchers advancing transformative projects in brain cancer research.
Rice convenes global researchers to advance understanding of quantum geometry in materials
The Rice Center for Quantum Materials hosted a Workshop on Quantum Geometry and Winter School on Quantum Materials Synthesis, bringing together more than 100 researchers, students and scientific leaders from around the world.
Rice engineers show lab-grown diamond films can stop costly mineral buildup in pipes
A new study by Rice engineers shows that lab-grown diamond coatings could help diminish mineral scaling in industrial piping, providing an alternative to chemical additives and mechanical cleaning, both of which offer only temporary relief and carry environmental or operational downsides.
