The synthesized graphene exhibited higher specific surface areas and conductivity values compared to battery-grade graphite.
Environmental footprints of state-of-the-art graphite recycling are quantified using life cycle assessment to strengthen the implementation of circular battery approaches. Since their commercialization in the early 90s, the demand for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has increased exponentially.
The environmental effects of graphene synthesis using SG and PSG were analyzed using a life cycle assessment (LCA) approach. The LCA results show that electricity consumption is the most influential factor among the five indicators analyzed, i.e., fossil fuel depletion, acidification, smog, global warming, and ozone depletion.
It is expected that there will be more and more graphene-based consumer goods available in the future, which will impact all aspects of production and life . However, while GFNs hold unique advantage, wide utilization of these emerging 2D carbon materials could also threaten the environment and the organisms in it.
As a revolutionary material, graphene is widely used in research and engineering, and its related industries are booming. During the development and rapid industrialization of GFNs, fully comprehending of its environmental and health safety impacts is of the utmost importance.
(42) However, the use of strong highly toxic chemicals, including H 2 SO 4 (2113 kg), KMnO 4 (462 kg), H 3 PO 4 (241 kg), H 2 O 2 (68.2 kg), and HCl (68 kg), results in large impact indicators. Those results are in line with the report by Arvidsson et al., who quantified the cradle-to-gate impacts of graphene production.