SuperCritical, University of Michigan team up on offshore uranium recovery
Researchers will test whether SuperCritical’s patented uranium adsorbent technology withstand industrial-scale deployment.
SuperCritical Materials Corp. has teamed up with the University of Michigan to investigate whether its uranium-from-seawater technology can survive the rigors of large-scale offshore deployment. The research will concentrate on the mechanical design, prototyping, and testing of systems utilizing SuperCritical’s patented adsorbent technology, which extracts dissolved uranium from seawater and separates it after a set exposure period.
The collaboration aims to create a crucial component of the fuel layer that supports clean, reliable energy for the next century.
Dr. Maha Haji, a research lead and assistant professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Michigan, explained that the partnership merges SuperCritical’s technology and development program with the university’s expertise in offshore system design, hydrodynamics, and experimental validation. Together, they seek to develop a key part of the fuel supply chain for nuclear energy in the United States, as oceans hold an estimated 4.5 billion metric tons of dissolved uranium.
The research program at the University of Michigan’s Aaron Friedman Marine Hydrodynamics Laboratory will assess how SuperCritical’s adsorbent performs under various mechanical stresses, including packing, deployment, seawater exposure, and retrieval. Dr. Haji emphasized that creating an efficient, reliable, and responsible offshore system is essential for extracting critical materials from the ocean.
The testing will take place in controlled marine environments within the university’s marine hydrodynamics lab, using tanks that simulate waves, currents, and other marine conditions. SuperCritical Materials CEO, Alexander Canon Bryan, stated that the research will be carried out in phases, beginning with mechanical characterization of the adsorbent, evaluating packing configurations, developing prototypes, hydrodynamic testing, and refining systems for future offshore pilot deployments.
Results from the University of Michigan program are also expected to guide a future feasibility study aimed at advancing SuperCritical’s system toward industrial-scale design.
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