Hexium develops a modernized Atomic Vapor Laser Isotope Separation (AVLIS) platform that uses laser‑driven ionization and electric field sorting to produce high‑purity enriched isotopes in a single pass. By leveraging existing metal vapor infrastructure and contemporary laser designs, the company lowers capital and operating costs, enabling industrial‑scale production of reactor‑grade lithium and other critical isotopes for nuclear energy, medical, and advanced manufacturing applications.
Funding
Funding not disclosed
Founders
Product
Problem
Supply of enriched isotopes such as lithium for nuclear, medical, and industrial applications is constrained by costly, low‑throughput enrichment methods that require large capital investments and complex infrastructure.
Solution
Hexium applies a modernized Atomic Vapor Laser Isotope Separation (AVLIS) process to selectively ionize target isotopes in a vaporized metal stream using precise laser wavelengths. Ionized atoms are then separated from neutral atoms by electric fields, producing purified output streams in a single pass. The company leverages contemporary laser designs and existing supply‑chain assets to lower both capital and operating expenses, enabling industrial‑scale production of high‑purity, reactor‑grade isotopes. By focusing initially on lithium, Hexium aims to demonstrate a financially viable, scalable platform that can be extended to other high‑impact isotopes for clean energy, nuclear medicine, and advanced manufacturing.
Target Audience
Primary customers are nuclear power plant operators, manufacturers of nuclear medicine isotopes, and industrial firms requiring enriched lithium or other scarce isotopes for advanced applications.
Features
- Laser‑driven ionization that targets specific isotopes with wavelength precision, leaving other isotopes neutral
- Electric field sorting that separates ionized isotopes in a single pass, eliminating multiple enrichment stages
- Patent‑pending process optimizations that increase production output while reducing capital and operating costs
- Compatibility with existing metal vapor and supply‑chain infrastructure to accelerate deployment
- High selectivity delivering materials at both high purity and lower enrichment levels suitable for reactor‑grade applications
- Scalable platform designed to expand from lithium to a broad range of isotopes needed in energy, medical, and industrial sectors