Shape memory alloys are remarkable materials that open up a wide range of uses. Nitinol, an alloy of nickel and titanium, is one of the most important of these materials. Some of its major applications are in medical devices where its unique properties allow minimally invasive surgery and implants to improve quality of life for millions of people. With the growing global population and increasing numbers of people able to access quality healthcare, the availability of advanced materials such as Nitinol is essential to allow continued progress in improving lives across the world. This article will review the discovery, material properties, processing methods and medical applications of Nitinol, with a special focus on stents for the treatment of arterial diseases, which constitute one of Nitinol’s major uses.

1. Introduction The Carbon Dioxide Utilisation Summits are held twice per year, alternating between being hosted in a European location and in North America. They are organised by Active Communications International (ACI), Inc. This two-day event was held in Reykjavik, Iceland, on 18th and 19th October 2017. The main aim of this Summit series is to bring together key players from industry,...

How good are we at predicting the future impact of science and technology? In her book “Science and the City: The Mechanics Behind the Metropolis” (1), Laurie Winkless anticipates a modern city based on a circular economy, in which numerous technologies are used to eke out the highest efficiency from both renewable and non-renewable resources, while carbon and water are kept in play...

Oxidative destruction of organic compounds in water streams could significantly reduce environmental effects associated with discharging waste. We report the development of a process to oxidise phenol in aqueous solutions, a model for waste stream contaminants, using Fenton’s reactions combined with in situ synthesised hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). Bifunctional palladium-iron supported catalysts, where Pd is responsible for H₂O₂ synthesis while Fe ensures the production of reactive oxygen species required for the degradation of phenol to less toxic species is reported. A comparison is made between in situ generated and commercial H₂O₂ and the effect of phenol degradation products on catalyst stability is explored.

Exhaust gas recirculation is a widely used technology on conventional vehicles, primarily for lowering emissions of local pollutants. Here we use chemical models to show that an exhaust-gas recirculation loop can be converted into a heat-recovery system by incorporating a catalytic reformer. The system is predicted to be particularly effective for gasoline-fuelled spark ignition engines. The high temperature and low oxygen-content of the exhaust gas mean that endothermic reactions will predominate, when some of the gasoline is injected into the recirculation loop upstream of the reformer. The output of the reformer will, therefore, have a higher fuel heating value than the gasoline consumed. Chemical efficiency calculations, based on the predicted reformer output at chemical equilibrium, indicate that the direct improvement in fuel economy could be as high as 14%. Initial tests using a rhodium reforming catalyst suggest that much of the heat recovery predicted by the thermodynamic models can be achieved in practice, which together with a reduction in throttling may allow a gasoline spark ignition engine to match the fuel economy of a diesel engine.

This study was a small part of the EURARE project concerned with the processing of eudialyte concentrates from Greenland and Norra Kärr, Sweden. Eudialyte is a potential rare earth elements (REE) primary resource due to its good solubility in acid, low radioactivity and relatively high REE content. The main challenge is avoiding the formation of silica gel, which is non-filterable when using acid to extract REE. Some methods have been studied to address this issue and, based on previous research, this paper examined a complete hydrometallurgical treatment of eudialyte concentrate to the production of REE carbonate as a preliminary product. Dry digestion with concentrated hydrochloric acid (10 M) and subsequent water leaching of the treated eudialyte concentrate resulted in high REE extraction while avoiding gel formation. Experiments were performed at a small scale to obtain the optimal parameters. After the first two stages, 88.8% REE was leached under the optimal conditions (HCl:concentrate ratio 1.25:1, digestion time 40 min, water:concentrate ratio 2:1, leaching temperature 20–25°C and leaching time 30 min). After obtaining the pregnant leach solution, preliminary removal of impurities by a precipitation method was examined as well. When adjusting the pH to ~4.0 using calcium carbonate, zirconium, aluminium and iron were removed at 99.1%, 90.0% and 53.1%, respectively, with a REE loss of 2.1%. Finally, a pilot plant test was performed to demonstrate the feasibility and recovery performance under optimal parameters. The material balance in the upscaling test was also calculated to offer some references for future industrial application. A REE carbonate containing 30.0% total REE was finally produced, with an overall REE recovery yield of 85.5%.

The aim of catalytic wet air oxidation is to use air to remove organic contaminants from wastewater through their complete oxidation, without having to vaporise the water. To date, the widespread exploitation of this process has been held back by the low activity of available catalysts, which means that it has to be operated at above-atmospheric pressure in order to keep the water in the liquid phase at the elevated temperatures required to achieve complete oxidation. Here we present an overview of an ongoing study examining the key requirements of both the active phase and the support material in precious metal catalysts for wet air oxidation, using phenol as the model contaminant. The major outcome to date is that the results reveal a synergy between platinum and hydrophobic support materials, which is not apparent when the active phase is ruthenium.

Recent advances in energy technology are driven by the need to mitigate climate change and find sustainable, non-polluting ways to power our communities. However, a large proportion of the impact arises from the materials used to make energy devices (1) and it is therefore important to generate and use materials effectively, while finding ways to minimise waste, energy use and harmful chemicals during device fabrication. This editorial describes the materials science toolbox for making the most of our resources.

Introduction The TechConnect World Innovation Conference and Expo event has been held annually for the past 20 years and has alternated location between Boston, USA and California, USA. The 2019 conference was held in Boston between the 17th and 19th of June 2019 and attracted over 3000 participants from across all pillars of the ecosystem. The conference will be held in Washington DC, USA...

Introduction “Raw Materials for Future Energy Supply” was published by Springer in 2016 and translated from German in 2019. It is part of the published series ‘Energy systems of the Future’ by a collaboration of German scientific academies: acatech-National Academy of Science and Engineering, Munich, Germany; Leopoldina National Academy of Sciences, Halle (Salle), Germany and the Union of...

As citizens, organisations and governments across the globe increase their interest in environmentally and socially sustainable means of production and consumption, the idea of a circular economy (CE) has been at the forefront of recent discussions held at organisational, national and international levels. This article briefly presents the CE concept from a supply chain management perspective. Then, two contemporary, representative CE technology management problems are introduced. The article concludes with some takeaways that policy makers and managers can use to inform further CE development.

This paper presents the main findings of a literature-based study of circular economy (CE) extending the technology attributes present on the Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF) Regenerate, Share, Optimise, Loop, Virtualise and Exchange (ReSOLVE) framework. The introduction and methods were presented in Part I (1). Part II concludes that there are 39 capabilities grouped into six elementary CE principles and five action groups, with public administration being the most interested sector, forming the CE information technology (IT) capabilities framework. It is expected the framework can be used as a diagnostic tool to allow organisations to evaluate their technological gaps and plan their IT investments to support the transition to CE.

The circular economy (CE) is an important approach and current trend in environmental sustainability. The implementation of the CE depends on the adoption of sustainable practices from the planning stages of new product development (NPD). Although the literature recognises the need to apply CE practices into NPD, few studies have tried to provide support for the issues based on real case studies. This article aims to identify and analyse practices, barriers and drivers to the development of circular products. To achieve this objective, a multiple case study was carried out in three medium and large Brazilian companies that have environmental concerns and, at the same time, are continuously involved in NPD activities. The results show that the companies’ circular product designs already foresee waste and recycled components as raw materials. In addition, it was found that infrastructural aspects and low awareness of customers regarding sustainability are challenges to overcome. Finally, for the adoption of CE practices, regulatory legislation stood out as a significant driver. This article contributes to theory and practice by providing empirical evidence of how companies have planned to build circular products by incorporating circular practices into the NPD process.

2019 was proclaimed the “International Year of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements (IYPT2019)” by the United Nations General Assembly and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) (1). Johnson Matthey celebrated this significant milestone by looking at the ways in which the company has used the periodic table to understand the inter-relationships of...

The circular economy (CE) is aimed at closing material loops by reducing and recovering resources in production and consumption processes. Many studies have discussed how CE helps companies create business opportunities while bringing environmental benefits. The business case for CE involves complicated issues such as industrial symbiosis, governmental interventions and the transformation of company culture. It is important to consider the whole context of CE when changing policies or business elements to optimise resource efficiency and avoid unsustainable consumption. By reviewing industry research reports and academic studies, this article summarises important circular business models and strategies and indicates current major barriers to CE. In addition, we explore multiple business cases and point out three important considerations that, if not used correctly, can lead to improper policies and environmental degradation when designing circular business models. These are (a) the use of biodegradable materials, (b) modular design for product life extension and (c) upcycling for new production processes. We then present a framework for companies to clarify vital considerations for resolving these issues based on systems thinking. The implications for business managers and policy makers are also discussed. This article serves to provide a better understanding of CE and explores how companies innovate in line with CE trends.

Within the 28 member states of the European Union (EU-28), 71.7% of transport emissions in 2017 were due to road transport and a policy commitment was made to reduce emissions from the transport sector as a whole by 60% by 2050 (against a 1990 baseline) (1). Going forward, and supported by policy, a stratification of passenger car powertrain options is anticipated, with customers able to choose from a zero-tailpipe emission battery electric vehicle (BEV), fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) or a selection of hybridised vehicles ranging from a mild to a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). Further to this, technology improvements and connectivity between vehicle and energy generation and supply offer further opportunities to accelerate reduction in carbon emissions in the transport sector. The structure of this new transport paradigm is pathway dependent. Multiple conflicts exist, pulling the system in different directions and threatening its sustainability. This paper explores the link between policy and the impact this has upon the direction that road transport is taking, focusing on technology options and highlighting some of the dichotomies that exist between policy and the requirement for a sustainable road transport solution.

Following the global trend towards increased energy demand together with requirements for low greenhouse gas emissions, Adaptable Reactors for Resource- and Energy-Efficient Methane Valorisation (ADREM) focused on the development of modular reactors that can upgrade methane‐rich sources to chemicals. Herein we summarise the main findings of the project, excluding in‐depth technical analysis. The ADREM reactors include microwave technology for conversion of methane to benzene, toluene and xylenes (BTX) and ethylene; plasma for methane to ethylene; plasma dry methane reforming to syngas; and the gas solid vortex reactor (GSVR) for methane to ethylene. Two of the reactors (microwave to BTX and plasma to ethylene) have been tested at technology readiness level 5 (TRL 5). Compared to flaring, all the concepts have a clear environmental benefit, reducing significantly the direct carbon dioxide emissions. Their energy efficiency is still relatively low compared to conventional processes, and the costly and energy-demanding downstream processing should be replaced by scalable energy efficient alternatives. However, considering the changing market conditions with electrification becoming more relevant and the growing need to decrease greenhouse gas emissions, the ADREM technologies, utilising mostly electricity to achieve methane conversion, are promising candidates in the field of gas monetisation.

The energy transition paradigm consists in a substitution of fossil energy for renewable resources, and low carbon transportation is one of the most important issues within this process. The oil century introduced modern mobility to society and since then petroleum supply has been a key to control transportation services. Energy security and environmental issues, as well as business aspects of implementing innovative technological chains at national and international levels, are major drivers for decarbonisation of transportation services for East Asian economies. Policy, institutions and technological patterns toward lower carbon footprints for the transportation sector are overviewed in this article. The emphasis is on hydrogen technologies, the corresponding drivers and the ambitions of industrialised East Asian economies to establish hydrogen infrastructure at a national level. The major factors for hydrogen technologies and hydrogen infrastructure developments in China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan are briefly discussed. The role of road transportation systems in such development is highlighted. Current energy consumption for transportation is described, some official documents are reviewed and a snapshot of recent developments is provided for each of these economies.

The world is at the start of an energy revolution: the biggest energy transformation since the Industrial Revolution. The growing recognition that the carbon dioxide emissions associated with the combustion of fossil fuels leads to a dramatic increase in global temperatures is driving the need to implement strategies to reduce the carbon footprint across power- and energy-hungry sectors such as power generation, domestic heating, industrial processes and transportation. This article looks at the moves that the global passenger car and commercial vehicle segments will need to make to minimise the CO₂ and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the sector, which is one of the largest contributors to the global CO₂ inventory today. A number of countries have already pledged to meet net zero GHG emissions by 2050, and more are set to follow, so this article also considers what is necessary for the ground transportation sector to hit net zero.

To date, the world has been making a massive shift away from fossil fuels towards cleaner energy sources. For the past decade, polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) powered by hydrogen have attracted much attention as a promising candidate for eco-friendly vehicles, i.e. fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), owing to their high power density, high efficiency and zero emission features. Since the world’s first mass production of Tucson ix35 FCEV by Hyundai in 2013, global automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have focused on commercialising FCEVs. In 2018, Hyundai also unveiled the second generation of the mass-produced FCEV (i.e. Nexo) with improved performances and durability compared with its predecessor. Since then, the global market for PEMFCs for a variety of FCEV applications has been growing very rapidly in terms of both passenger vehicles and medium- and heavy-duty vehicles such as buses and trucks, which require much higher durability than passenger vehicles, i.e. 5000 h for passenger vehicles vs. 25,000 h for heavy-duty vehicles. In addition, PEMFCs are also in demand for other applications including fuel cell electric trains, trams, forklifts, power generators and vessels. We herein present recent advances in how hydrogen and PEMFCs will power the future in a wide range of applications and address key challenges to be resolved in the future.