High Performance Materials Daigo Laboratory
Unveil the dynamics of stock and flow of substances and energy
Modelling dynamic materials stock and flow
The consideration of material use is essential on the pathway to a sustainable society and net-zero emissions. Material production, use, and waste management encupsulate mining of exhaustible resources; energy consumption originated from fossil fuels; and material dissipation at the end-of-life, which is not a sustainable material use.
Therefore, in our laboratory, we aim to develop dynamic stock and flow models for environmental sustainability analyses of materials and resources. Specific research topics are clarifying the dynamics of stock and flow of substances required for the models, development of sustainability indicators for optimization, impurity accumulation during recycling, and their influence on material properties.
Develop a LCA methodology for a zero-carbon future
Recently, in many cases of product production, project implementation, and other business activities, it is required to quantify greenhouse gas emissions by LCA (Life Cycle Assessment).
However, traditional LCA methods are static assessments, and do not fully consider the consequential impact on society ; hence do not meet current needs. Therefore, in our laboratory, we develop a dynamic LCA method that considers the above-mentioned stock and flow systems of materials in society as a whole.
Time-series change of steel stock in Japan
Material flow model for a steel recycling chain
- Estimated GHG emission factors associated with materials production according to future scenarios
When I was a university student, the Kyoto Protocol was adopted, and I became interested in working to contribute to solving global environmental issues. Since I was studying materials engineering, I began to think about ways to continue using materials (especially metals) without environmental impacts. At the time, very few researchers were approaching this social problem analytically using mathematical models, so I was happy to be able to place myself at the dawn of a new research field. On the other hand, I had a hard time modeling phenomena, because I often did not have the necessary data. In order to obtain the necessary data, I did whatever it took to fulfill my objectives, whether it was experiments or field studies, without being particular about the method. I am sure that my character of not giving up and being optimistic suited me well. Nowadays, carbon neutrality and the circular economy are recognized as important social issues, and I feel that we are a world apart from when I started my research.
Member
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- Associate Professor
Ichiro DAIGO
Research Area: Industrial Ecology, Life Cycle Assessment, Material Flow Analysis - Associate Professor
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