NSF promotes the transition to a circular economy in advanced materials

The U.S. National Science Foundation, in partnership with Australia's national science agency, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), are investing in solutions that will accelerate the transition of materials development, manufacturing, and use to a circular economy, positively impacting multiple industries such as semiconductors and plastics.

With a total investment of $30 million, six research teams from the NSF Convergence Accelerator's Track I: Sustainable Materials for Global Challenges have been selected to advance from Phase 1 to Phase 2. CSIRO is funding the Australian researchers on one of the U.S. led teams: ReCreateIt. Each Phase 2 team will receive an award of up to $5 million over three years.

"NSF is excited to continue to partner with CSIRO to catalyze the shift to a circular economy for advanced materials," said Erwin Gianchandani, NSF assistant director for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships. "This investment directly aligns with the goals of the 'CHIPS and Science Act of 2022', which authorizes NSF to accelerate key technologies like advanced materials while addressing national, societal, and geostrategic challenges like sustainability and resilience. These projects, in which we are investing today, will contribute to the nation's long-term competitiveness and security."

The NSF Convergence Accelerator Track I Phase 2 teams will collectively produce systems, technologies, tools, and approaches that promote the circular economy through the full life cycle, including improving manufacturing efficiencies, reducing waste and emissions and creating environmentally conscious sustainable materials and products. Track I also includes significant efforts on circular design and circular economy education, training and workforce development for both the current and future generations of scientists and engineers.

"Progress toward a circular economy is vital for our planet's health, but it is a complex challenge to tackle," said Douglas Maughan, head of the NSF Convergence Accelerator program. "The NSF Convergence Accelerator program is bringing together a wide range of expertise to develop critical, game-changing solutions to transition toward a regenerative growth model that reduces pressure on natural resources, creates sustainable growth and jobs, drastically reduces waste and ultimately has a positive impact on our environment and society. Phase 2 teams are expected to have strong partnerships to ensure their solutions are sustained beyond NSF support."

The Phase 2 teams will participate in an innovation and entrepreneurial curriculum that includes training on product development, intellectual property, financial resources, sustainability planning and communications and outreach.

Phase 2 awardees include:

• FUTUR-IC: Led by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, FUTUR-IC is building a global microchip sustainability alliance to establish a common ground for future "green" businesses. Composed of the semiconductor industry, academia and government experts, FUTUR-IC defines barriers and potential solutions by nurturing interdisciplinary expertise for innovative, interconnected, and sustainable technology and workforce solutions. The project provides a neutral ground for precompetitive research.
• PFACTS: Led by IBM Corporation — Almaden Research Center, PFACTS will accelerate efforts to replace, redesign and remediate fluorine-containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), or "forever chemicals," used in many products and processes such as non-stick coatings, compostable food containers and semiconductor manufacturing. The PFACTS knowledge base and artificial intelligence tools enable stakeholders to assess PFAS hazards, prioritize replacements and identify remediation materials to find faster solutions for forever chemicals.
• ReCreateIt: Led by re:3D Inc., ReCreateIt, a net-zero manufacturing lab, is building a more circular economy to reduce landfill waste. Partnered with the Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStores, ReCreateIt enables low-income homeowners to design sustainable home goods using recycled plastic waste through 3D-printing. This team is co-funded by Australian partner CSIRO and includes Australian researchers from the University of Wollongong and Western Sydney University.
• SOLAR: Led by Battelle Memorial Institute, Securing critical material supply chains by enabling phOtovoltaic circuLARity (SOLAR) is developing the technology needed to achieve sustainable solar recycling while helping to secure domestic supply chains of advanced materials. SOLAR enables circularity for end-of-life panels by developing decision-making tools for panel owners and recyclers, reducing recycling costs to rival landfilling and ensuring repurposing of valuable critical materials.
• SpheriCity: Led by the University of Georgia Research Foundation, Inc., SpheriCity is a cross-sector tool that examines how plastics, organics and construction and demolition materials flow through local communities. Through SpheriCity, community members are trained in how to collect baseline data that can inform circular solutions, while accessing a global database to compare and connect with other communities around the world.
• Topological Electric: Led by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Topological Electric aims to accelerate topological materials toward low cost next-generation energy and information devices with environmental sustainability, scalability and superior performance. The project will develop electronic and energy harvesting device prototypes based on topological materials.