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Strategies for improving the sustainability of structural metals

Author

Listed:
  • Dierk Raabe

    (Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung)

  • C. Cem Tasan

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Elsa A. Olivetti

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Abstract

Metallic materials have enabled technological progress over thousands of years. The accelerated demand for structural (that is, load-bearing) alloys in key sectors such as energy, construction, safety and transportation is resulting in predicted production growth rates of up to 200 per cent until 2050. Yet most of these materials require a lot of energy when extracted and manufactured and these processes emit large amounts of greenhouse gases and pollution. Here we review methods of improving the direct sustainability of structural metals, in areas including reduced-carbon-dioxide primary production, recycling, scrap-compatible alloy design, contaminant tolerance of alloys and improved alloy longevity. We discuss the effectiveness and technological readiness of individual measures and also show how novel structural materials enable improved energy efficiency through their reduced mass, higher thermal stability and better mechanical properties than currently available alloys.

Suggested Citation

  • Dierk Raabe & C. Cem Tasan & Elsa A. Olivetti, 2019. "Strategies for improving the sustainability of structural metals," Nature, Nature, vol. 575(7781), pages 64-74, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:575:y:2019:i:7781:d:10.1038_s41586-019-1702-5
    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1702-5
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    Cited by:

    1. Ren, Kaipeng & Tang, Xu & Wang, Peng & Willerström, Jakob & Höök, Mikael, 2021. "Bridging energy and metal sustainability: Insights from China’s wind power development up to 2050," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 227(C).
    2. Zan Li & Yin Zhang & Zhibo Zhang & Yi-Tao Cui & Qiang Guo & Pan Liu & Shenbao Jin & Gang Sha & Kunqing Ding & Zhiqiang Li & Tongxiang Fan & Herbert M. Urbassek & Qian Yu & Ting Zhu & Di Zhang & Y. Mor, 2022. "A nanodispersion-in-nanograins strategy for ultra-strong, ductile and stable metal nanocomposites," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, December.
    3. Xuyang Zhou & Ali Ahmadian & Baptiste Gault & Colin Ophus & Christian H. Liebscher & Gerhard Dehm & Dierk Raabe, 2023. "Atomic motifs govern the decoration of grain boundaries by interstitial solutes," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    4. Jae Bok Seol & Won-Seok Ko & Seok Su Sohn & Min Young Na & Hye Jung Chang & Yoon-Uk Heo & Jung Gi Kim & Hyokyung Sung & Zhiming Li & Elena Pereloma & Hyoung Seop Kim, 2022. "Mechanically derived short-range order and its impact on the multi-principal-element alloys," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, December.
    5. Mauricio Sánchez-Silva & Jack W. Baker, 2024. "Dynamic Infrastructure Systems: advancing sustainable urbanization and climate change," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 44(3), pages 489-499, September.
    6. Shenghua Wang & Dake Zhang & Wu Wang & Jun Zhong & Kai Feng & Zhiyi Wu & Boyu Du & Jiaqing He & Zhengwen Li & Le He & Wei Sun & Deren Yang & Geoffrey A. Ozin, 2022. "Grave-to-cradle upcycling of Ni from electroplating wastewater to photothermal CO2 catalysis," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    7. Binglu Zhang & Qisi Zhu & Chi Xu & Changtai Li & Yuan Ma & Zhaoxiang Ma & Sinuo Liu & Ruiwen Shao & Yuting Xu & Baolong Jiang & Lei Gao & Xiaolu Pang & Yang He & Guang Chen & Lijie Qiao, 2022. "Atomic-scale insights on hydrogen trapping and exclusion at incoherent interfaces of nanoprecipitates in martensitic steels," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    8. Liang, Yanan & Kleijn, René & Tukker, Arnold & van der Voet, Ester, 2022. "Material requirements for low-carbon energy technologies: A quantitative review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    9. Khashayar Razghandi & Emad Yaghmaei, 2020. "Rethinking Filter: An Interdisciplinary Inquiry into Typology and Concept of Filter, Towards an Active Filter Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-34, September.
    10. Farhan Ashraf & Arijit Lodh & Emanuele Pagone & Gustavo M. Castelluccio, 2023. "Revitalising Metallic Materials: A Path towards a Sustainable Circular Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-17, July.
    11. Ali Zakeri & Kenneth S. Coley & Leili Tafaghodi, 2023. "Hydrogen-Based Direct Reduction of Iron Oxides: A Review on the Influence of Impurities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-25, August.
    12. Rahmani, Amir & Aboojafari, Roohallah & Bonyadi Naeini, Ali & Mashayekh, Javad, 2024. "Adoption of digital innovation for resource efficiency and sustainability in the metal industry," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    13. Thomas E. Graedel & Alessio Miatto, 2022. "Alloy Profusion, Spice Metals, and Resource Loss by Design," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-12, June.
    14. Jhon Zartha & Gina Orozco & Diana Barreto & Diego García, 2024. "Sustainable Innovation in Organizations: A Look from Processes, Products, and Services," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-16, March.
    15. Roland W. Scholz & Gerald Steiner, 2022. "The role of transdisciplinarity for mineral economics and mineral resource management: coping with fallacies related to phosphorus in science and practice," Mineral Economics, Springer;Raw Materials Group (RMG);Luleå University of Technology, vol. 35(3), pages 745-763, December.

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