How Green is “Green” Nanotechnology?
Assessing Green Synthesis Processes for Nanoparticles
through a Life Cycle Perspective
Paramjeet Pati, Dr. Peter Vikesland, Dr. Sean McGinnis
param@vt.edu pvikes@vt.edu smcginn@vt.edu
Background Research Gap Life Cycle Assessment Method Results Conclusions
Chemical synthesis
Biogenic synthesis
‘Synthetic’
Chemicals
Konishi et al. 2006
Green
Chemicals
Rebecca H. Lahr
Tue 2:10, Session 5C
Surface-enhanced Raman
spectroscopy (SERS) cellular imaging
for determination of intracellular
gold nanoparticle biocoatings
Background Research Gap Life Cycle Assessment Method Results Conclusions
A Holistic Look at ‘Nano’-Sustainability
Chemical
synthesis
Gold
salt
Bulk
gold
Gold salt
Gold
ore
Gold
nanoparticles
Gold NP
applications
Gold nanoparticles
End of
life
?
Image courtesy: Carol Johnson
Background Research Gap Life Cycle Assessment Method Results Conclusions
Does life cycle ‘thinking’ matter at all?
Kerr (2012), Science
Background Research Gap Life Cycle Assessment Method Results Conclusions
Earth's natural wealth: an audit (23 May, 2007), NewScientist.com
http://www.newscientist.com/data/images/archive/2605/26051202.jpg
Background Research Gap Life Cycle Assessment Method Results Conclusions
Source: Armin Reller (University of Augsburg),
Tom Graedel (Yale University)
Background Research Gap Life Cycle Assessment Method Results Conclusions
How many different nanotechnologies are based
on resources that are limited and on nonrenewable precursors?
What are the projections of the growth of the
nano-industry?
…the growth of world population?
…the decline of non-renewable resources?
…and the synergistic effects of all of the above?
Of course life cycle thinking matters!
Background Research Gap Life Cycle Assessment Method Results Conclusions
The LCA Toolbox
Databases
Impact
assessment
methods
LCA
software
Cumulative Energy Demand, Eco-Indicator,
TRACI
Global Warming Potential
Background Research Gap Life Cycle Assessment Method Results Conclusions
How LCA
Models work
Electricity
Nails
Wood planks
Coal
Trees
Solar
Fuel mix
Wind
Iron ore
Background Research Gap Life Cycle Assessment Method Results Conclusions
Putting
the pieces
together
Wood planks
Trees
House
Nails
Electricity
Fuel mix
Iron ore
Background Research Gap Life Cycle Assessment Method Results Conclusions
1 mg
Gold NP
HCl
Gold
Salt
Deionized
water
Chlorine
Gold
Tap
water
Cleaning
solvent
Stirring
Heating
HCl
HNO3
Electrical
Energy
Coal
Natural
gas
Nuclear
Hydro
Solar
Wind
Background Research Gap Life Cycle Assessment Method Results Conclusions
1 mg
Gold NP
HCl
Gold
Salt
Deionized
water
Chlorine
Gold
Tap
water
Cleaning
solvent
Stirring
Heating
HCl
HNO3
Electrical
Energy
Coal
Natural
gas
Nuclear
Hydro
Solar
Wind
Background Research Gap Life Cycle Assessment Method Results Conclusions
(Functional unit 1 mg of Gold NP)
Reported yields
yields
Reported yields
Reported
Wine: 80%
Wine: 80%
80%
Wine:
Cypress
leaf extract: 94%
extract: 94%
94%
Cypress
leaf
leaf
(Citrate:Cypress
assumed
toextract:
be 100%)
Yield == 100%
50%
Assumed
Assumed
Assumed
Yield = Yield
10% 10%
Assumed Yield = 50%
Assumed Yield = 100%
Background Research Gap Life Cycle Assessment Method Results Conclusions
Silver Nanoparticles
Gold Nanoparticles
CED accounts for the
embodied energy, but….
it does not take into account
the potential for
nano-specific toxicity
Background Research Gap Life Cycle Assessment Method Results Conclusions
When applying green principles to nanotechnologies
based on precious metals…
Gold ore
Silver ore
Platinum ore
… let’s not forget the embodied energy in
precursors.
For precursors with significant embodied
energies, reaction yields strongly matter.
Acknowledgments
Dr. Peter Vikesland
Director, VT-SuN IGEP
Dr. Sean McGinnis
Director, Green Engineering
Programme, Virginia Tech
Jennifer Kim
Undergraduate researcher
(Vikesland group)
Virginia Tech Centre for Sustainable Nanotechnology (VTSuN)
Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science (ICTAS)
Email: param@vt.edu
Spam slides
Here be dragons…..