MUSE: The Industrial Ecology of Particulate Materials

Pennsylvania State Univ University Park, University Park PA

Investigators

Abstract

Many knowledge intensive products require the manufacturing of particulate materials, such as ferroelectrics, ceramics, powdered metals, cements, and pharmaceuticals. These materials often have their largest environmental impact during the particulate stage when they are the most soluble. Particulate production commonly involves the consolidation of individual particles. Moreover, these materials often play a pivotal role in new technologies that enable society to achieve greater energy and economic efficiency. Many scientists recognize the unique contributions of these materials but lack the information and analytical tools to consider the economic, social, and environmental impacts of their process and product design decisions. The objective of this MUSES project is to develop a research agenda to meet this need. To achieve this goal, an interdisciplinary team at Penn State, representing materials, economics, business and the environmental fields; will work with several participating material science centers to organize a one-day symposium for students and young researchers in the field and a two-day international workshop on the industrial ecology of particulate materials. The workshop will address the following key questions: What spatial and temporal detail is possible for particulate material balances? What are the determinants of particulate material flows? What modeling approaches are best suited to represent these determinants? How could these models guide process and product design decisions? And What material technologies could improve environmental quality? In addressing these questions, our inquiry will lay the foundation for a conceptual framework to identify and develop a research agenda in this emerging field.