Τhe strategic role of Life Cycle Assessment in the problem of material criticality and in development of Chromium-free substitute for stainless steel

¹ National Technical University of Athens, School of Chemical Engineering, RNANO Lab – “Research Unit of Advanced, Composite, Nano Materials & Nanotechnology”, 9 Heroon Polytechneiou Street, GR-15773, Zographos Athens, Greece. charitidis@chemeng.ntua.gr, vstergiou@chemeng.ntua.gr
² Innovation In Research & Engineering Solutions (IRES), Boulevard Edmond Machtens 79/22 - 1080 Brussels, Belgium. amorozinis@innovation-res.eu

Abstract

Sustainable and on-going technological developments in the field of materials require the establishment of methods and tools for assessing, comparing environmental impacts and providing solutions to the problem of “resource criticality” by identifying a policy of an economic and ecological plan. Therefore, there is a clear need for prevention and provision of additional knowledge beyond the defined protocols to achieve the reduction of impacts. For this reason, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has been developed as a scientific technique that systematically assesses and evaluates the environmental impacts associated with all stages of a product's life. In this work, LCA was applied in a part of a highly innovative process of production of advanced Iron-Aluminum (Fe-Al) based intermetallics. LCA role is particularly crucial, since the produced intermetallics are bound to substitute stainless steel, in specific applications, providing solution in the problem of Cr and Ni; as a result, the environmental burdens and impacts, as well as application of alternative solutions to minimize them, will decide if such an innovative, from the technical point of view, approach is also applicable/sustainable in large scale.