Safe²energy - Safer life cycle of advanced 2D materials used in energy applications

Coordinator: Marco Pelin, University of Trieste (Italy)

Partners: Julia Catalàn, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (Finland); Isabel Rodrìguez, GAIKER Centro Tecnológico (Spain)

Website: https://www.safera.eu

2023 - 2025

The main goal of Safe²energy is to assess the potential (eco)toxicity and occupational risks of advanced bidimensional materials (2DM) used in novel energy technologies, such as hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) and black phosphorus (BP), or phosphorene, proposing, if needed, management measures to be adopted by industries for the relevant hazard mitigation.

The development of novel energy technologies has brought new demands for safe and sustainable advanced materials with multifunctional properties. Innovative and efficient novel energy storage and conversion technologies based on 2DM are one of the main topics in energy applications. Some 2DM, such as hBN and BP, are promising materials for energy applications, improving the performance of different kinds of batteries.

In view of the increasing concerns for human and environmental safety posed by novel 2DM-based technologies, Safe²energy aims at anticipating potential emerging issues, associated with their production and use, by characterizing the currently unknown hazard posed by hBN and BP to both humans and the environment along their life cycle. For human health, both respiratory and skin toxicity will be considered, as inhalation and skin contact are the main target exposure routes for workers in occupational settings. The environmental hazard assessment will focus on the freshwater compartment, being considered the main sink for soil runoff contaminants. For the same reason, life cycle assessment (LCA) will also focus on this compartment for the environmental considerations. Thus, Safe²energy will generate (eco)toxicological data that, together with literature data and information provided by the supporting industries, will be integrated with LCA information to assess the main risks posed by hBN and BP. On top of that, if needed, mitigation measures to be taken by companies, either producing or using them in energy applications, will be proposed to reduce these risks along their life-cycle. Hence, Safe²energy will represent a demonstration case suitable also for other 2DM, supporting stakeholders in the development of safer new 2DM-based energy technologies.