IMX Seminar Series - Materials Innovations Towards Decarbonization of Industrial Processes

For the past decades, materials science has played a role in lowering carbon dioxide emissions from the electricity sector through development of renewable energy generation and high-performance energy storage technologies. However, outside of the energy sector there remain significant greenhouse gas emissions linked to materials production, particularly because of growth in the build environment infrastructure and chemicals manufacture. This presentation describes the significant challenge of reducing the burden of materials production. I will review progress in understanding the potential for decarbonization in cement, metals (including steel, aluminum, and copper) and chemicals manufacture including inputs to production, the transformation processes itself as well as the design of desired outputs. I will address underexplored areas and outline ways to identify potential for the materials community to have impact leveraging the capability to innovate along length scales from atoms to materials markets.