Environmental Life Cycle Assessment for a Carbon Nanotube-Based Printed Electronic Sensor Platform.

摘要

This paper describes research to characterize the potential environmental impact associated with the manufacture of a newly developed printed electronic temperature sensor composed of specialized carbon nanotube (CNT) formulation (called CNTRENE~® 1030 material) using gate-to-gate environmental life cycle assessment (Eco-LCA). The Life-Cycle Inventory (LCI) was constructed using data collected from samples pulled directly off the production line. Modeling estimated limited environmental impacts from CNTRENE~® 1030 material manufacturing process, with the relative impact largely attributed to fossil fuels and resource depletion due to the required high-temperature incineration of wastes. Brewer Science's optimization of the CNTRENE~® 1030 material manufacturing process reduced the environmental impacts by approximately one order of magnitude. For the temperature sensor, modeling results showed indicated limited environmental impacts given the very small quantities of CNTs and other materials used in its production. Relative impacts were emphasized by greenhouse gas emissions and natural resource depletion associated with expending of fossil fuels used for gas compressors and electrical power requirements.