Bio-Waste-Derived Hard Carbon Anodes Through a Sustainable and Cost-Effective Synthesis Process for Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are postulated as sustainable energy storage devices for light electromobility and stationary applications. The anode of choice in SIBs is hard carbon (HC) due to its electrochemical performance. Among different HC precursors, bio-waste resources have attracted significant attention due to their low-cost, abundance, and sustainability. Many bio-waste materials have been used as HC precursors, but they often require strong acids/bases for pre-/post-treatment for HC development. Here, the morphology, microstructure, and electrochemical performance of HCs synthesized from hazelnut shells subjected to different pre-treatments (i. e., no pre-treatment, acid treatment, and water washing) were compared. The impact on the electrochemical performance of sodium-ion cells and the cost-effectiveness were also investigated. The results revealed that hazelnut shell-derived HCs produced via simple water washing outperformed those obtained via other processing methods in terms of electrochemical performance and cost-ecological effectiveness of a sodium-ion battery pack.

Dataset of propylene carbonate based liquid electrolyte mixtures for sodium-ion cells.

In this manuscript, we present rheology, ionic conductivity, density, chromatography, and life cycle analysis data on the PC+X electrolyte system with and without LiClO4. In particular, the data are presented in contact with Na surfaces. In this case, photographic images of electrolyte-sodium mixtures are also shown. The data was analyzed using OriginPro software to visualize it in an appropriate manner. In our view, the data serve as comparative values, form a basis of a chromatography analysis and are also valuable for modeling. The analysis of the data is presented in the manuscript "Comprehensive characterization of propylene carbonate based liquid electrolyte mixtures for sodium-ion cells" [1].

Energy flow analysis of laboratory scale lithium-ion battery cell production.

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have been proven as an enabling technology for consumer electronics, electro mobility, and stationary storage systems, and the steadily increasing demand for LIBs raises new challenges regarding their sustainability. The rising demand for comprehensive assessments of this technology's environmental impacts requires the identification of energy and materials consumed for its production, on lab to industrial scale. There are no studies available that provide a detailed picture of lab scale cell production, and only a few studies provide detailed analysis of the actual consumption, with large deviations. Thus, the present work provides an analysis of the energy flows for the production of an LIB cell. The analyzed energy requirements of individual production steps were determined by measurements conducted on a laboratory scale lithium-ion cell production and displayed in a transparent and traceable manner. For the comparison with literature values a distinction is made between the different production scales.

Life Cycle Assessment of a Vanadium Redox Flow Battery.

Batteries are one of the key technologies for flexible energy systems in the future. In particular, vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFB) are well suited to provide modular and scalable energy storage due to favorable characteristics such as long cycle life, easy scale-up, and good recyclability. However, there is a lack of detailed original studies on the potential environmental impacts of their production and operation. The present study fills this gap by providing a comprehensive life cycle assessment of a representative VRFB. Transparent and comprehensive inventory data are disclosed as a basis for further environmental studies. VRFBs are found to be promising regarding the assessed impact categories, especially at high energy-to-power (E/P) ratios. On the other hand, significant impacts are associated with the vanadium pentoxide production, which is why the origin and processing of the vanadium bearing ores are a key for further reducing the environmental impacts associated with the VRFB manufacturing. While the lower efficiency of the VRFB is a disadvantage in comparison to e.g. lithium-ion batteries (LIB), its recyclability is significantly higher. In this sense, the importance of taking a cradle-to-cradle life cycle perspective when comparing very different battery systems can be highlighted for further research on this topic.

Proposal of a framework for scale-up life cycle inventory: A case of nanofibers for lithium iron phosphate cathode applications.

Environmental assessments are crucial for the management of the environmental impacts of a product in a rapidly developing world. The design phase creates opportunities for acting on the environmental issues of products using life cycle assessment (LCA). However, the LCA is hampered by a lack of information originating from distinct scales along the product or technology value chain. Many studies have been undertaken to handle similar problems, but these studies are case-specific and do not analyze the development options in the initial design phase. Thus, systematic studies are needed to determine the possible scaling. Knowledge from such screening studies would open the door for developing new methods that can tackle a given scaling problem. The present article proposes a scale-up procedure that aims to generate a new life cycle inventory (LCI) on a theoretical industrial scale, based on information from laboratory experiments. Three techniques are described to obtain the new LCI. Investigation of a laboratory-scale procedure is discussed to find similar industrial processes as a benchmark for describing a theoretical large-scale production process. Furthermore, LCA was performed on a model system of nanofiber electrospinning for Li-ion battery cathode applications. The LCA results support material developers in identifying promising development pathways. For example, the present study pointed out the significant impacts of dimethylformamide on suspension preparation and the power requirements of distinct electrospinning subprocesses. Nanofiber-containing battery cells had greater environmental impacts than did the reference cell, although they had better electrochemical performance, such as better wettability of the electrode, improving the electrode's electrosorption capacity, and longer expected lifetime. Furthermore, material and energy recovery throughout the production chain could decrease the environmental impacts by 40% to 70%, making the nanofiber a promising battery cathode. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2016;12:465-477. © 2016 SETAC.

Prospective time-resolved LCA of fully electric supercap vehicles in Germany.

UNLABELLED: The ongoing transition of the German electricity supply toward a higher share of renewable and sustainable energy sources, called Energiewende in German, has led to dynamic changes in the environmental impact of electricity over the last few years. Prominent scenario studies predict that comparable dynamics will continue in the coming decades, which will further improve the environmental performance of Germany's electricity supply. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is the methodology commonly used to evaluate environmental performance. Previous LCA studies on electric vehicles have shown that the electricity supply for the vehicles' operation is responsible for the major part of their environmental impact. The core question of this study is how the prospective dynamic development of the German electricity mix will affect the impact of electric vehicles operated in Germany and how LCA can be adapted to analyze this impact in a more robust manner. The previously suggested approach of time-resolved LCA, which is located between static and dynamic LCA, is used in this study and compared with several static approaches. Furthermore, the uncertainty issue associated with scenario studies is addressed in general and in relation to time-resolved LCA. Two scenario studies relevant to policy making have been selected, but a moderate number of modifications have been necessary to adapt the data to the requirements of a life cycle inventory. A potential, fully electric vehicle powered by a supercapacitor energy storage system is used as a generic example. The results show that substantial improvements in the environmental repercussions of the electricity supply and, consequentially, of electric vehicles will be achieved between 2020 and 2031 on the basis of the energy mixes predicted in both studies. This study concludes that although scenarios might not be able to predict the future, they should nonetheless be used as data sources in prospective LCA studies, because in many cases historic data appears to be unsuitable for providing realistic information on the future. The time-resolved LCA approach improves the assessment's robustness substantially, especially when nonlinear developments are foreseen in the future scenarios. This allows for a reduction of bias in LCA-based decision making. However, a deeper integration of time-resolved data in the life cycle inventory and the implementation of a more suitable software framework are desirable. KEY POINTS: The study describes how life cycle assessment's (LCA) robustness can be improved by respecting prospective fluctuations, like the transition of the German electricity mix, in the modeling of the life cycle inventory. It presents a feasible and rather simple process to add time-resolved data to LCA. The study selects 2 different future scenarios from important German studies and processes their data systematically to make them compatible with the requirements of a life cycle inventory. The use of external scenarios as basis for future-oriented LCA is reflected critically. A case study on electric mobility is presented and used to compare historic, prospective static, and prospective time-resolved electricity mix modeling approaches. The case study emphasizes the benefits of time-resolved LCA in direct comparison with the currently used approaches.

Towards a dynamic assessment of raw materials criticality: linking agent-based demand--with material flow supply modelling approaches.

Emerging technologies such as information and communication-, photovoltaic- or battery technologies are expected to increase significantly the demand for scarce metals in the near future. The recently developed methods to evaluate the criticality of mineral raw materials typically provide a 'snapshot' of the criticality of a certain material at one point in time by using static indicators both for supply risk and for the impacts of supply restrictions. While allowing for insights into the mechanisms behind the criticality of raw materials, these methods cannot account for dynamic changes in products and/or activities over time. In this paper we propose a conceptual framework intended to overcome these limitations by including the dynamic interactions between different possible demand and supply configurations. The framework integrates an agent-based behaviour model, where demand emerges from individual agent decisions and interaction, into a dynamic material flow model, representing the materials' stocks and flows. Within the framework, the environmental implications of substitution decisions are evaluated by applying life-cycle assessment methodology. The approach makes a first step towards a dynamic criticality assessment and will enhance the understanding of industrial substitution decisions and environmental implications related to critical metals. We discuss the potential and limitation of such an approach in contrast to state-of-the-art methods and how it might lead to criticality assessments tailored to the specific circumstances of single industrial sectors or individual companies.

Closed-loop recycling of construction and demolition waste in Germany in view of stricter environmental threshold values.

Recycling of construction and demolition waste contributes decisively to the saving of natural mineral resources. In Germany, processed mineral construction and demolition waste from structural engineering is used nearly exclusively in civil engineering (earthwork and road construction sector) as open-loop recycling. Due to the planned stricter limit values for the protection of soil and water, however, this recycling path in civil engineering may no longer be applicable in the future. According to some new guidelines and standards adopted recently, recycled aggregates may also be used for concrete production in the structural engineering sector (closed-loop recycling). Wastes from the structural engineering sector can thus be kept in a closed cycle, and their disposal on a landfill can be avoided. The present report focuses on the determination of maximum waste volumes that may be handled by this new recycling option. Potential adverse effects on the saving of resources and climate protection have been analysed. For this purpose, materials flow analysis and ecobalancing methods have been used.

Oftalmología Simpática / Sympathetic ophthalmia

La Osoftalmia Simpática (OS) o uveítis simpática es una condición inflamatoria que afecta a ambos ojos. Ocurre después de la injuria penetrante de uno de los ojos, con raras excepciones es el resultado de trauma o cirugía. El ojo injuriado es llamado excitador y el no traumatizado es llamado simpatizado. En el siglo pasado, la incidencia reportada era del 2/100 después de traumas penetrantes de ojo. En la primera y segunda guerra mundial los casos reportados fueron sumamente raros; en el 2000 estudios en Gran Bretaña e Irlanda reportaron una incidencia estimada de tres por cada 10,000,000 de casos de injuria ocular penetrante o cirugía. Siendo evidente que la OS es extremadamente infrecuente, pero con un alto riesgo de ceguera bilateral.