Could waste textiles be a source of battery-grade graphite? This is one the questions a project between the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Ames National Laboratory and the Critical Materials Innovation (CMI) Hub, along with Amazon, will seek to answer.
This project is part of efforts to advance technologies for the recovery and recycling of critical materials, such as battery-grade graphite and gallium. With a focus on reducing waste, strengthening domestic critical material supply chains, and creating opportunities for high-value material recovery, Amazon will combine its artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities and supply chain scale with the materials science expertise of Ames National Laboratory and the CMI Hub. Discarded fabrics present a domestic source of graphite, which the DOE says advances its goal of securing critical mineral from waste.
In a second initiative, CMI will collaborate with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to investigate the technical and economic feasibility of recovering critical minerals, such as gallium, from end-of-life IT hardware. AWS will leverage its expertise in physical AI and supply chain management, while CMI contributes its expertise in critical minerals recovery.
CMI is an Energy Innovation Hub led by the US Department of Energy’s Ames National Laboratory with support from the Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation Office’s Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office. It is focused on finding ways to accelerate the development of critical material technologies and enhance the innovation pipeline for US supply chains by accelerating research, and creating de-risked, commercial-ready technologies in partnership with American industry.
CMI Hub director Tom Lograsso said: "CMI's mission is to move breakthrough materials technologies from the laboratory into real-world applications on timelines that meet industry's needs. Working with Amazon gives us the opportunity to apply our capabilities at scale – combining CMI's materials science expertise with Amazon's AI to turn innovations into practical solutions that strengthen the nation's critical materials supply chains."
Kommy Weldemariam, chief Scientist for sustainability and AI at Amazon added: “Together with Ames National Laboratory and CMI, we are advancing a new frontier in critical materials circularity – from converting discarded textiles into battery-grade graphite to recovering critical minerals from IT hardware.”
The projects fall under the US government’s Genesis Mission. Made public at the end of 2025, the mission aims to accelerate science through AI to double the productivity and impact of American research within a decade.
Further reading:
- Why the US wants to remake the critical minerals supply chain
- Critical minerals: Harnessing AI to improve discovery and supply
- Major lithium project secures finance package
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