While not intrinsically magnetic, copper is critical for the performance of many magnetic assemblies and products. Its excellent electrical conductivity, especially in exceptionally pure forms, make it prized for creating powerful magnetic fields needed for both superconducting and resistive electromagnets.
Aeramine, a technology startup from the UK, is commercializing an advanced vacuum refinement technique for producing ultra-high purity copper using feedstock from both virgin or recycled copper sources. Its copper features exceptionally low oxygen content and impurity levels, tailored for the most demanding applications where the generation of excessive heat can be a problem.
Working through Project Pure CuRE funded by Innovate UK, Aeramine and atomizer manufacturer Phoenix Scientific Industries recently demonstrated the breakthrough process. The project aimed to establish a secure, sustainable domestic source of high-purity copper by targeting the inefficiencies in existing recycling systems and unlocking the potential of scrap copper as a critical resource.
Aeramine led the project alongside PSI, with support from the Manufacturing Technology Centre, a research and technology organization focused on manufacturing innovation.
The project team developed an advanced recycling process combining zone melting and vacuum-inert gas atomisation. This allowed scrap copper, often from cable-grade sources, to be refined to a purity level of over 99.999% (5N). Their process produced copper powder with oxygen content as low as 50 to 100 parts per million, far below the industry norm of 500ppm. The innovation preserved the copper’s performance, enabling its reuse in high-tech applications including electromagnets, semiconductors, nuclear systems and energy storage.
“What Aeramine and its partners have achieved is remarkable. They have demonstrated an economic and sustainable approach to consolidating waste copper, purifying and then atomising it to an ultra-high purity copper product,” said Neil Witten, Innovation Lead for Advanced Materials at Innovate UK.
“None of this would have been possible were it not for Innovate UK’s help,” commented Alex Lapis, managing director and co-founder of Aeramine. “And not just money: they have support lines; we have an innovation and growth specialist who helps us along the way. They provided training in fundraising and as a result, we were deemed investable last year. We’ve attended conferences and Innovate UK has put us in touch with various industry partners, like Jaguar Land Rover, that are looking to make their supply chain more resilient.
Aiming to be a one-stop shop combining refining, atomizing and additive manufacturing, the company showed its capabilities at the MT29 Magnet Technology Conference held in Boston in July. The event is sponsored by the IEEE Council on Superconductivity. In superconducting magnets, copper acts as a stabilizer, providing a current pathway if the superconductor fails and aiding heat dissipation.
“Our manufacturing approach minimises environmental impact, improves material efficiency, and offers cost-effective ultra-high-purity solutions for industries such as electronics, aerospace and automotive,” says Lapis. Based in the UK’s Oxford-Cambridge technology corridor, the company recently finalized an initial £700,000 pre-seed funding round with angel investors, and is preparing for its next fundraising. The company was founded in 2021.
For more info, see www.aeramine.com, www.psiltd.co.uk, www.ukri.org.
