Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41790877›Full record

ArticleScience advances2026

Selective cobalt and nickel separation by bioacid-mediated electrowinning.

Tianchen Li, Chi Zhang, Hewen Zhou, Dian-Zhao Lin, Jiahang Chen, Yongbiao Mu, Jasmine Vy Tran, Andong Liu, Krish N Jayarapu, Zhengyuan Li and 9 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Science advances, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

19 authors.

Tianchen LiDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-7571-9632
Chi ZhangMaterials and Process Simulation Center, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.ORCID 0009-0005-4316-3576
Hewen ZhouJohn A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
Dian-Zhao LinDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-1177-2308
Jiahang ChenDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
Yongbiao MuDepartment of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.ORCID 0000-0002-1049-2235
Jasmine Vy TranDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
Andong LiuDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
Krish N JayarapuDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-5822-4133
Zhengyuan LiDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-1525-4981
Charles B MusgraveMaterials and Process Simulation Center, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-3432-0817
Jihan ZhangDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.ORCID 0009-0006-4072-606X
Lingyu ZhangDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-2404-314X
Zhiyao QiDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.ORCID 0009-0004-7977-5761
Anmol MathurDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-8343-731X
Hongang DuDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
Prabhat PrakashMaterials and Process Simulation Center, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-1430-2379
William A GoddardMaterials and Process Simulation Center, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-0097-5716
Yayuan LiuDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-0718-4784

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The increasing demand for cobalt (Co) and nickel (Ni) in energy storage and industrial applications highlights the need for their efficient separation from both primary mining and nonconventional sources. Electrowinning presents a greener alternative to incumbent solvent extraction but is hindered by the similar reduction potentials of divalent Co and Ni ions. We show that cost-effective and recyclable bioacids can modify ion solvation environments to amplify the reduction potential difference between Co and Ni, with tartaric acid achieving the highest selectivity through formation of a unique dinuclear complex. When applied to ternary lithium-ion battery leachates, the process achieves 99.1% Co purity in batch mode and, in a scalable flow system, stepwise recovery of metallic Co (95.1%), Ni (96.5%), and manganese dioxide (~100%) with high yields. Technoeconomic analysis and life-cycle assessment highlight superior economic and environmental benefits, establishing a sustainable, generalized electrochemical platform for selective Ni/Co separation from complex feedstocks.

Identifiers

PMID41790877
PMCPMC12965294

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.