Title: NSF-EPA Workshop on Life Cycle Aspects of Nanoproducts, Nanostructured Materials, and Nanomanufacturing: Problem Definitions, Data Gaps, and Research Needs
1- NSF-EPA Workshop on Life Cycle Aspects of
Nanoproducts, Nanostructured Materials, and
Nanomanufacturing Problem Definitions, Data
Gaps, and Research Needs - November 5-6, 2009
- Chicago, IL
2Why nano?
- An enabling technology with implications for
energy, manufacturing, electronics,
transportation, healthcare, pharmaceuticals,
environmental control and purification, sensors
and national security, chemical processing, and
sustainable development
3Why Life Cycle?
- An integrative methodology--life cycle analysis
is a good way to understand the totality of
environmental impacts and (most) of the benefits
of nanotechnology, and where along the product
chain these occur - LCA allows for comparisons with conventional
products that may be displaced in commerce - LCA facilitates communication of risks and
benefits to stakeholders and consumers - LCA can help to prevent unnecessary regulation
and to avoid unintended consequences - Apply LCA near the beginning of the nanotech
revolution, a rare opportunity
4Previous workshop Nanotechnology and Life Cycle
AssessmentWashington DC October 2-3 2006
- Major conclusions
- Major efforts are needed to fully assess
potential risks and environmental impacts of
nanoproducts and materials - All stages of the life cycle of nanoproducts
should be assessed via LCA studies - The main problem with LCA of nanomaterials and
nanoproducts is the lack of data and
understanding in certain areas
5Previous workshop Nanotechnology and Life Cycle
AssessmentWashington DC October 2-3 2006
- Major conclusions (continued)
- Further research is needed to gather missing
relevant data and to develop user-friendly
eco-design screening tools, especially ones
suitable for use by small and medium sized
enterprises - Uncertainty in LCA studies should be acknowledged
and quantified - While LCA brings major benefits and useful
information, there are certain limits to its
application and use, in particular with respect
to the assessment of toxicity impacts
6Goals of the this workshop
- Review existing research, assess the state of
science, and identify gaps in the knowledge base
regarding the life cycle of nanotechnological
products and processes, - Develop a critical understanding of combinations
of nanostructured materials, their manufacturing
processes, and resultant products that offer the
greatest promise for improvements for society, as
well as those that offer little promise or have a
high probability of creating or worsening
environmental hazards, - Lay out research priorities to address the needs
identified, - Establish a pathway forward that could be pursued
by relevant stakeholders on life
cycle/nanotechnology research, and - Explore the basis of a life cycle-based
management framework for nanotechnological
applications
7Nano-based publications
8Topical Areas of Nanotech Life Cycle Publications
9Life Cycle Assessment Framework
ISO 140402006
10Life Cycle Assessment Stages
11Energy Requirements
7
6
6
5
5
Log (MJ/kg)
4
4
3
3
2
2
1
11
0
EAF Steel
Aluminum
Poly Si
Wafer Si
Nanotubes
Quantum dots
Material
Energy requirements of several materials (adapted
from Gutowski et al. 2007, and Sengul and Theis
2008).
12Sources of nanomanufacturing impacts
- Low process yields
- Energy requirements
- Repeated processing, postprocessing, or
reprocessing steps of a single product or batch
during manufacturing -
- Use of toxic/basic/acidic chemicals and organic
solvents - Strict purity requirements and less tolerance for
contamination during processing (up to nine
nines) - High water consumption
Sengul and Theis JIE, 2008.
13Example Elements used in semiconductors
14Aqueous solubility of semiconductor synthetics
- Sulfides, most oxides abundant info
- Binary selenides, tellurides some info
- Nitrides, phosphides, arsenides, stibnides,
tertiary, quaternary, doped, magnetic none
15CdSe in aquatic environments
Rain
Natural waters
Sediments And Soils
Intracell environment
16Concluding remarks
- The ability to make and control very small
structured materials has very large implications
for human health, comfort and convenience, and
economic well-being - In comparison to basic nanoscience and the
fabricaton of nanostructures, our understanding
of environmental and life cycle behaviors of
nanomanufacturing, nanomaterials, and
nano-containing products exhibit exceptional lags - Even so, it is probable that there will be
sizable energy requirements, a suite of
significant waste management problems, and
unknown material supply and end-of-life concerns