Prospective Life Cycle Assessment of Graphene Production by Ultrasonication and Chemical Reduction

• One promising future bulk application of graphene is ascomposite additive. Therefore, we compare two production routes for insolutiongraphene using a cradle-to-gate lifecycle assessment focusing onpotential differences in energy use, blue water footprint, human toxicity,and ecotoxicity. The data used for the assessment is based on informationin scientific papers and patents. Considering the prospective nature of thisstudy, environmental impacts from background systems such as energyproduction were not included. The production routes are either based onultrasonication or chemical reduction. The results show that theultrasonication route has lower energy and water use, but higher humanand ecotoxicity impacts, compared to the chemical reduction route.However, a sensitivity analysis showed that solvent recovery in the ultrasonication process gives lower impacts for all includedimpact categories. The sensitivity analysis also showed that solvent recovery is important to lower the blue water footprint of thechemical reduction route as well. The results demonstrate the possibility to conduct a life cycle assessment study based mainly oninformation from patents and scientific articles, enabling prospective life cycle assessment studies of products at early stages oftechnological development.

Ämnesord

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Naturresursteknik -- Annan naturresursteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Environmental Engineering -- Other Environmental Engineering (hsv//eng)

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