Environmental and resource aspects of substituting cemented carbide with polycrystalline diamond: The case of machining tools. (20th December 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Furberg, Anna; Fransson, Kristin; Zackrisson, Mats; Larsson, Mikael; Arvidsson, Rickard
• Is Part Of: Journal of cleaner production. Volume 277(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-12-20
• Subjects: High-pressure high-temperature (HPHT) -- Diamond grit -- Wood working -- Titanium alloys machining -- Life cycle assessment (LCA) -- Life cycle inventory (LCI); CED cumulative energy demand -- HPHT high-pressure high-temperature -- LCA life cycle assessment -- LCI life cycle inventory -- LCIA life cycle impact assessment -- PCD polycrystalline diamond -- WC-Co cemented carbide; Factory and trade waste -- Management -- Periodicals; Manufactures -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Déchets industriels -- Gestion -- Périodiques; Usines -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; 628.5
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.123577
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0959-6526

Abstract

Abstract: Synthetic diamond competes with the conventional cemented carbide (WC–Co) tool material in some applications due to its extreme hardness. However, so far, these materials have not been compared from a life cycle perspective regarding their environmental and resource impacts. The aims of this study are i) to provide detailed life cycle assessment (LCA) results for industrial polycrystalline diamond (PCD) production from diamond grit produced via high-pressure high-temperature (HPHT) synthesis and ii) to conduct the first comparative LCA of PCD and WC-Co tools for the cases of wood working and titanium alloys machining. The results show that the main hotspot in HPHT synthesis of diamond grit, which is the main precursor to PCD, is the use of WC-Co in the high-pressure apparatus. In PCD tool production, the electricity input and the use of tungsten and molybdenum contribute the most to environmental and resource impacts. The environmental and resource impacts of the PCD tool production can be reduced with 53–83% if solar electricity and full WC-Co recycling is applied. The comparison shows high environmental and resource improvements when substituting WC-Co tools with PCD tools in wood working, but not in titanium alloys machining. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: First life cycle assessment comparing PCD and WC-Co in machining. PCD is environmentally preferable to WC-Co in wood working. WC-Co is environmentally preferable to PCD in titanium alloys machining. Applying solar electricity in PCD production greatly reduce environmental impacts. Ready-to-use LCA data for industrial production of PCD and diamond grit.