The Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office (AMMTO) makes strategic investments to advance the material supply chains and product lifecycles that support a robust manufacturing sector, supply chain security, environmental sustainability, and economy-wide decarbonization. This includes developing the mineral and material resources necessary to manufacture clean energy technologies and supporting design for recyclability and innovative recycling processes. 

What Are AMMTO’s Secure and Sustainable Materials Focus Areas? 

Critical Minerals and Materials

Rising demand and limited supply of critical materials is a key barrier to expand production of clean energy technologies including batteries, efficient motors, and wind generators. To address this challenge, AMMTO’s strategy includes research, development and demonstrations (RD&D) to diversify and expand supply, develop alternatives, improve materials and manufacturing efficiency, and improve recycling and circularity of materials such as lithium, neodymium, and dysprosium. AMMTO catalyzes innovation ecosystems and coordinates activities across government, national labs, academia, and industry to accelerate the path from innovation to commercialization.

Circular Economy Technologies and Systems

Circular economy approaches extend circulation of materials and products over multiple lifecycles to support economy-wide decarbonization, material security, and environmental sustainability. AMMTO’s circular economy RD&D portfolio covers plastics, metals, composites, fibers, electronics, and batteries.  AMMTO works across government, national labs, academia and industry to address and pursue high-impact circular economy challenges and opportunities, including focusing on material streams with high embedded GHG emissions, those that are growing rapidly, and those that contain critical materials.