Contributions That Chemical Metallurgy Can Make To Alleviate Some Of The World’s Challenges

Abstract:

The world faces some considerable challenges over the next 50 years and these include the use of renewable energy, its generation and storage, green processing of materials (including recycling), feeding an ever growing population and, finally, care of an ageing population.The skills of the Chemical Metallurgy community include thermodynamics, phase diagrams, kinetics and mass transfer and electrochemistry of aqueous solutions, solid electrolytes and molten salts. However, it is not just sufficient to have these skills – it is equally important to be aware of the problems that need solving. The combination of these two factors can lead to innovation but this can only be successful when the ideas are put into practice and this requires a partner with the financial and technical resources to make the projects a successful reality.Several examples will be given and these may include:(1) novel anodes for lithium ion batteries deriving insight from phase diagrams and intercalation to produce tin filled carbon nanotubes, (energy generation and storage), (2) production of metal and oxygen directly from metal oxides (green processing),(3) treatment of waste electronic scrap(recycling),(4) widening the supply of fertiliser (feeding a growing population),(5) healing of long term wounds (caring for an ageing population)This paper will illustrate how knowledge of a problem coupled with an understanding of the requisite science can lead to innovative solutions that can attract venture capital leading to their successful industrial development.

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