The Life Cycle of Nanomanufacturing Technologies

Project Information

Principal Investigator	Thomas L Theis
Institution	University of Illinois
Project URL	View
Relevance to Implications	Some
Class of Nanomaterial	Engineered Nanomaterials
Impact Sector	Environment
Broad Research Categories	Risk Assessment Risk Management
NNI identifier	e2-2

Funding Information

Country	USA
Anticipated Total Funding	$200,000.00
Annual Funding	$100,000.00
Funding Source	NSF
Funding Mechanism
Funding Sector
Start Year	2006
Anticipated End Year	2008

Abstract/Summary

This project has as its overall goal the initiation of studies in which life cycle inventory (LCI) and assessment (LCA) methods are used for carrying out evaluations of the environmental footprints of nanomanufacturing technologies. To date many research programs have taken up the product cycles and health impacts of nanomaterials, and many are exploring the potential of nanoproducts for environmental applications (membranes, sensors, etc.), but none have begun to examine directly nanomanufacturing technologies. At this stage of understanding and development of nanomanufacturing technologies, it is difficult to form testable hypotheses. It is very likely that some nano approaches will be measurably better in terms of their comparative environmental performance, while others will be worse. Thus this research is need-driven, as are many new research problems.