Health, Safety and Sustainability by Design of Advanced Materials in Manufacturing Processes

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, advanced materials (AdMa) have rapidly developed in various industrial sectors such as renewable energy, sustainable mobility, efficient use/saving of resources, digitalization, Industry 4.0-5.0, robotics, and additive manufacturing. They are designed to have new or improved properties and/or targeted or enhanced structural characteristics, with the aim of achieving specific functional performance and expected benefits for the economy, society, and the environment. Among them are engineered nanomaterials (ENMs), which are recognized for their great enabling potential, exploiting the innovative properties and enormous capabilities of materials at the nanoscale (1-100nm) with different structures, shapes, and dimensionality.

The production and widespread use of AdMa and ENMs highlight the interest in their economic and social benefits in the context of energy, green, and digital transitions. However, at the same time, some concerns arise about the potential effects of exposure to these materials on human health and the environment. In fact, the same chemical-physical properties and surface reactivity that make them innovative and more performant can potentially influence their toxicity, representing an emerging risk, particularly for workers who are the first to be exposed at all stages of their life cycle.

Therefore, innovative Safety-by-Design approaches for new materials development need to include further health and sustainability dimensions, including human, environmental, social and economic impacts, and move towards a comprehensive approach to ensure we stay within an operating space harmonized with the planetary boundaries.

In this framework, the topic aims to explore the more recent research efforts in the field of safety, health, and sustainability of advanced materials and related production processes, including, but not limited to the following:

• Safety and Sustainability by-design approaches for exposure to ENMs and AdMa in the workplaces.
• Integrated Testing strategies to assess health effects of AdMa.
• Risk assessment and management (including cost-effectiveness analysis) in AdMa manufacturing processes.
• Risk communication and training tools for the responsible manufacturing and use of AdMa.
• New methodologies and devices to quantify the workers’ exposure to AdMa.
• Collective and personal protection devices in AdMa manufacturing processes.
• Low-cost sensors for exposure monitoring of potential pollutant emissions in AdMa production processes.
• AdMa applications, use cases, and scalability in production and implementation of Prevention-through-Design approaches.

Dr. Fabio Boccuni
Dr. Yulong Zhang
Topic Editors