Scientists recreate critical material that does not exist on Earth
A team of scientists from Northeastern University in Boston and the University of Cambridge have managed to synthetically manufacture a useful material that does not occur naturally on Earth, NPR reports.
The metal-based material called tetrataenite was previously only found in meteorites that plunged to Earth’s surface.
It consists of nickel and iron that were cooled over millions of years while tumbling through space.
NPR reported that the process created a set of characteristics that make the material ideally suited for high-end permanent magnets.
These are key for transforming electric power into mechanical movement in a range of advanced machines, including electric vehicles (EVs).
Being able to recreate tetrataenite for industrial applications could potentially make green energy technologies substantially cheaper.
Permanent magnets have to be able to resist high amounts of pressure and extreme temperatures over a long period.
That requires adding a rare earth element like neodymium or praseodymium — materials that are difficult to extract.
According to NPR, China controls over 71% of global rare earth extraction, which has been one of the major drivers of its cheap EV boom.
NPR said with the ability to manufacture tetrataenite synthetically, the West could wean itself off its reliance on China for rare earths.
However, the lab still needs to test if its recreated material is as robust as the naturally-occurring version.
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