Nickel-free steel powders
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Nickel-free steel powders: Paving the way for sustainable Powder Metallurgy Few sectors of industry remain untouched by the demands of sustainability. The response to climate change has ramped up considerably in most countries, with consumers and regulators alike looking for greater assurance that products have the lowest environmental impact possible across the value chain. PM is no exception, and increasing numbers of PM projects on sustainability have emerged to meet this need. The EU’s NEWMAN project is one such effort, seeking to drastically improve PM’s economic and environmental sustainability by minimising nickel content in steel powders. Here, the NEWMAN partners discuss the project’s goals, progress and roadmap to completion.
In recent years, climate change has become a major driver for developments in technology and material science. The traditional development approach, based on the study of factors such as mechanical and chemical performance only, has demonstrated its limits. Many materials have a strong environmental impact throughout their lifecycle, which can pose a challenge in improving their recyclability or reusability. In the development of new materials, a holistic approach that includes an analysis of environmental impacts in the research and validation stages is a fundamental principle to achieve sustainability. For instance, the adoption of concepts related to the circular economy during the early research stage may boost the subsequent recovery of available resources and the material’s recyclability [1]. The definition of research strategies that consider elements of sustainability in early stages of development is essential to pursue objectives linked to a more efficient
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use of resources. The widely accepted definition of sustainability refers to the concept of the ‘Triple Bottom Line’ (Fig. 1) – that is, the synergistic and systematic relationship between three fundamental aspects in development; the societal, environmental and economic impact of a technology. This is also known as 3P: people, planet and profit [2]. The Paris Agreement attempts to limit global warming to well below
2°C, preferably 1.5°C, comparable to pre-industrial levels. Today, industry is responsible for 35% of all greenhouse gas emissions due to energy consumption and industrial processes [3] and many companies are facing challenges in achieving sustainability via carbon neutral production under the new EU Green Deal. Consequently, when choosing suppliers, the sustainability of their products and processes will
Fig. 1 The Triple Bottom Line: People, planet, profit
Spring 2021
Powder Metallurgy Review
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