Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Shiwei Du, Feng Gao, Zuoren Nie, Yu Liu, Boxue Sun, Xianzheng Gong
Summary: Electric vehicles play a vital role in the low-carbon transition of transportation, and it is important to quantify the resource consumption intensity of lithium-ion batteries used in these vehicles. In this study, the exergy method was applied to assess the abiotic resource depletion associated with lithium nickel cobalt manganate (NCM) battery production. The results showed that reducing cobalt use and implementing solvent recovery devices can effectively reduce the resource consumption of battery production.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Qiangfeng Li, Tao Dai, Tianming Gao, Weiqiong Zhong, Bojie Wen, Tianjiao Li, Yanjing Zhou
Summary: This study analyzed the material flows of China's aluminum resources during different stages of its life cycle using material flow analysis (MFA). The results indicated an increasing trend in aluminum consumption in China initially, followed by a gradual decrease. The study also found that China imports large amounts of raw materials for aluminum processing and exports a significant portion of aluminum-containing commodities produced domestically to other countries. Additionally, the research highlighted the importance of reducing material loss during the processing of raw materials, particularly in the alumina production stage, to alleviate pressure on primary aluminum sources.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Maeva Lavigne Philippot, Daniele Costa, Giuseppe Cardellini, Lysander De Sutter, Jelle Smekens, Joeri Van Mierlo, Maarten Messagie
Summary: This study evaluates the environmental impacts of a prototype lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (LiNi0.6Mn0.2Co0.2O2) battery with a silicon-rich anode compared to a graphite-based battery. The results show that the prototype battery emits 265 gCO2eq/kWh delivered over its life cycle. Switching to an electricity mix based on renewable energy sources can reduce the environmental impact by up to 53%.
JOURNAL OF ENERGY STORAGE
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Maryori C. Diaz-Ramirez, Maria Blecua-de-Pedro, Alvaro J. Arnal, Jan Post
Summary: The Acid Base Flow Battery (AB-FB) technology stores electrical energy using pH and salinity differences in water, exhibiting better environmental and economic performance compared to other battery technologies. The efficiency losses during operation stage of AB-FB system contribute significantly to environmental burden. Additionally, the manufacturing stage of AB-FB system also plays a key role in total environmental impact.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Norman S. Luu, Jin-Myoung Lim, Carlos G. Torres-Castanedo, Kyu-Young Park, Elahe Moazzen, Kun He, Patricia E. Meza, Wenyun Li, Julia R. Downing, Xiaobing Hu, Vinayak P. Dravid, Scott A. Barnett, Michael J. Bedzyk, Mark C. Hersam
Summary: The study demonstrates that applying a graphene coating on NMC cathode materials significantly improves the cycle life and Coulombic efficiency at high voltages, mitigating electrolyte decomposition reactions and particle fracture. The research also establishes a relationship between the spatial uniformity of lithium flux and particle-level mechanical degradation in NMC cathodes.
ACS APPLIED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Emmanuel Shittu, Rathod Suman, Musuwathi Krishnamoorthy Ravikumar, Ashok Kumar Shukla, Guangling Zhao, Satish Patil, Jenny Baker
Summary: The soluble lead redox flow battery is a promising flow battery solution with lower cost and lower environmental impact compared to other stationary storage applications, such as lithium-ion batteries and lead acid batteries.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Anna Luthin, Jana Gerta Backes, Marzia Traverso
Summary: The study aimed to propose an adaptable LCA/LCC-integration approach for different actors involved in the life cycle of products to identify environmental-economic trade-offs. The findings revealed the urgency to assess the environmental and economic performance parallelly for identifying potential trade-offs or win-win-situations.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Tingting Jiang, Huifang Wang, Qiang Jin
Summary: This study quantifies the potential environmental impacts of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) through life cycle assessment and compares three different types of batteries. The results show that the production and assembly phases of LIBs contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and have significant impacts on climate change and human and ecological toxicity. The study suggests process optimization for China's LIBs industry based on future electricity mixes.
CLEAN TECHNOLOGIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Donghai Qiao, Tao Dai, Gaoshang Wang, Yanling Ma, Hailong Fan, Tianming Gao, Bojie Wen
Summary: In this study, material flow analysis was used to track cobalt material flows in China. The research findings reveal China's challenges in cobalt trade and carbon emissions, emphasizing the need for adjusting trade structures and improving resource efficiency.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Coatings & Films
Wadzanai Ndambakuwa, Yustinah Ndambakuwa, Jonghyun Choi, Ganga Fernando, Dipesh Neupane, Sanjay R. Mishra, Felio Perez, Ram K. Gupta
Summary: With advancements in technology, the demand for green energy production and storage has been increasing annually. Supercapacitors, particularly those utilizing nickel and cobalt-based materials, have shown significant potential for energy storage applications like water splitting and urea oxidation reaction. The conversion from nickel-cobalt oxide to nickel-cobalt sulfide has demonstrated enhanced energy storage capacity and improved electrochemical properties, showcasing promising outcomes for sustainable energy solutions.
SURFACE & COATINGS TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Lu Zhang, Runyue Qin, Yunpeng Pan, Zeang Duan, Yuan Li, Ning Xi, Lu Jian, Shumin Han
Summary: Doping with cobalt and adopting a spherical structure can enhance the stability and conductivity of alpha-Ni(OH)(2), resulting in significantly improved discharge capability and cycling stability for its application as a cathode material in nickel-metal hydride batteries.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Guanhua Zhang, Min Li, Zimu Ye, Tieren Chen, Jiawei Cao, Hongbo Yang, Chengbo Ma, Zhenggang Jia, Jiwei Xie, Ning Cui, Yueping Xiong
Summary: In the past decade, the development of new energy vehicles has posed higher demands on battery performance such as cycle life, energy density, and cost. Lithium-ion batteries have become the mainstream choice for electric vehicle power batteries due to their excellent energy density, rate performance, and cycle life. However, the widely used cathode materials, namely lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and LixNiyMnzCo1-y-zO2 cathodes (NCM), have limitations that hinder the improvement and promotion of power battery performance. This review examines the performance characteristics, cycle life attenuation mechanisms, and improvement methods of LFP and NCM batteries, and proposes the future development prospects in this field.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Merve Erakca, Sebastian Pinto Bautista, Samineh Moghaddas, Manuel Baumann, Werner Bauer, Lea Leuthner, Marcel Weil
Summary: Battery storage systems have become crucial in the energy and transportation sector. Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are the dominant technology, but their sustainability is a constant concern. Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) have been conducted, but the lack of primary data on production necessitates more studies at different scales using transparent datasets. This research focuses on environmental assessments for LIBs at different production scales and provides a detailed LCA for lab-scale battery cell production for the first time, identifying areas of concern and conducting sensitivity analyses.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Olumide Winjobi, Jarod C. Kelly, Qiang Dai
Summary: In this study, the environmental impacts of lithium-ion battery production were analyzed, and it was found that transitioning to higher-nickel, lower-cobalt materials can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but increase sulfur dioxide emissions. Changing the production pathway of the nickel precursor can lower sulfur dioxide emissions. The variability of electricity sources also affects the environmental impacts of battery production.
SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGIES
(2022)
Article
Agricultural Economics & Policy
Hua Zhang, Fang Zhao, Kexuan Han
Summary: This paper explores the possibility of reducing carbon emissions by adjusting the import structure and self-production structure, and provides ideas for low-carbon emission reduction in agriculture and animal husbandry.
CHINA AGRICULTURAL ECONOMIC REVIEW
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yui Kawasaki, Sayaka Nagao-Sato, Misa Shimpo, Kahori Fujisaki, Emi Yoshii, Rie Akamatsu, Petra Warschburger
Summary: This study qualitatively describes sustainable dietary behaviors (SDBs) that Japanese and German adults can implement in their lives, and quantitatively compares the similarities and differences in understanding SDBs between the two samples. The study found that Japanese participants were more focused on food waste prevention, while German participants were more focused on solving environmental problems.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Kechun Chen, Yuan Ding, Liming Yang, Zhihao Wang, Haoxuan Yu, Difan Fang, Yufa Feng, Liying Hu, Chenxi Xu, Penghui Shao, Xubiao Luo, Liang Chen
Summary: This study proposes a targeted repair scheme for the recovery of graphite anodes from spent LIBs by systematically characterizing and analyzing the structure and composition of spent graphite (SG). The results show that the repair scheme achieves effective SG repair and the repaired graphite anode displays excellent lithium storage performance.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Takao Ueda, Shigeki Koyanaka, Tatsuya Oki
Summary: Fires caused by accidental crushing of batteries are a serious issue in the e-waste recycling process. A new in-line sorting system that uses X-ray scanning and deep learning has been developed to accurately detect batteries. Through a validation study, the system achieved higher accuracy compared to other existing programs.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Hannes Geist, Frank Balle
Summary: Research on circular economy often lacks empirical data, especially in the theory of circular process design and design for remanufacturing. This study systematically collected and analyzed engineering data on seven remanufacturing processes in the European automotive remanufacturing industry for the first time, providing empirical support for circular engineering challenges, potentials, and solutions.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xiaojing Li, Fan Lue, Nanlin Liao, Hua Zhang, Na Yang, Pinjing He
Summary: This study assesses and predicts the greenhouse gas emissions on the timeline as waste treatment technologies develop in Shanghai from 1991 to 2025 using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. The findings demonstrate that GHG emission has reached net-zero in 2019 owing to the application of alternative technologies and waste segregation.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Bingchun Liu, Haoyang Wang, Xiaoqin Liang, Yibo Wang, Zijie Feng
Summary: The expansion of the photovoltaic market has resulted in a significant increase in PV waste. Therefore, conducting scientific research to determine the importance of the circular economy for sustainable growth in the PV industry is essential. The study demonstrates that accurate prediction of PV installed capacity and quantifying the importance of recycling in balancing the supply and demand of raw materials can be achieved through a multi-factor installed capacity prediction model and recovery potential prediction.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2024)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Chuanzhen Zhang, Baojing Gu, Xia Liang, Shu Kee Lam, Yi Zhou, Deli Chen
Summary: Reactive nitrogen is crucial for agriculture and human nutrition, but mismanagement can have detrimental effects on human health and ecosystem services, hindering the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Progress towards nitrogen-related targets varies across countries, highlighting the need for integrated management to achieve overall synergies.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Alessandro Gatto, Marijke Kuiper, Corina van Middelaar, Hans van Meijl
Summary: This study examines the economic and environmental effects of transitioning towards more circular food systems in the European Union (EU27) by feeding animals with low-opportunity-cost feed and better utilizing local feed resources. The results show that providing subsidies for circularity and promoting the use of low-cost feed can increase animal production, but also have negative impacts on land use and emissions. On the other hand, promoting domestic feed sourcing through import tariffs can decrease animal production and greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture. However, complementary policies are needed to mitigate drawbacks and enhance benefits of a more circular agri-food system.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jinbo Zhang, Liu Chen, Yulei Xie, Pingjian Yang, Zheng Li, Huaicheng Guo, Yang Zhang, Lirong Liu
Summary: This study examines the impact of carbon taxes on low-carbon development and climate change mitigation. By constructing a cross-system bi-layer model, the study finds that reasonable carbon taxes can promote the stability of the energy network, reduce carbon emissions and air pollutants, and optimize production efficiency and the structure of the energy system. This study contributes to a better understanding of the effects and implementation pathways of carbon taxes.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Konstantin Born, Mehmet Metehan Ciftci
Summary: Increasing recycling of metals is important for reducing reliance on mining, but it cannot fully meet future metal demand. Primary production of metals is expected to continue rising, highlighting the need for alternative circular economy strategies such as demand reduction and mitigating harmful impacts of primary metal production.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yinqiu Ma, Lin Huang, Jiahui Li, Wei Cao, Yumei Cai
Summary: Afforestation and reforestation, such as China's Grain for Green Program, have shown to effectively mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to carbon sink capacity. This study highlights the significant carbon potential of the program and its potential application in other countries to reduce CO2 in the atmosphere.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Arlind Dervishaj, Kjartan Gudmundsson
Summary: This paper reviews digital tools for supporting the Circular Economy (CE) in the built environment and provides suggestions. The study identifies limitations in the functionalities of current tools, including a lack of representative data for LCA and underdeveloped circularity indicators. Further development is needed in terms of interoperability aspects, integration of more sources of data for LCA and circularity, and possibilities for a comprehensive evaluation of design choices.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Mohamadreza Y. Azarfam, Anuj Maheshwari, Frank D. Blum, Siddhesh Chaudhari, Clinton Switzer, Ranji Vaidyanathan, Jay C. Hanan, Sudheer Bandla
Summary: This study introduces a feasible method for manufacturing recycled composites using post-consumer carpets and recycled resin. The resulting composites have impressive strength and modulus, surpassing commercial thermoplastics and making them suitable for structural applications. This research presents a promising approach to address carpet landfilling and reduce reliance on additives.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Pujiang Shi, Tianle Huang, Hong Kit Lim, Chiew Kei Tan, Jong-Min Lee, Chor Yong Tay
Summary: This study developed a highly porous bioadaptive 3D sponge-like construct from plastic materials in discarded keyboards for advanced in vitro applications. The findings demonstrate the potential of using discarded keyboards as a waste-to-resource feedstock to achieve waste reduction and maximize value-capture.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Kuo-Jui Wu, Hailing Qiu, Caiyan Huang, Anthony S. F. Chiu, Ming-Lang Tseng
Summary: Government resource allocation practices for achieving carbon neutrality should be guided by dynamic system theory to identify potential dynamics. Carbon intensity control dynamics have a significant influence on other dynamics.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2024)