Data availability and the need for research to localize, quantify and recycle critical metals in information technology, telecommunication and consumer equipment

Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.This publication is with permission of the rights owner freely accessible due to an Alliance licence and a national licence (funded by the DFG, German Research Foundation) respectively.The supply of critical metals like gallium, germanium, indium and rare earths elements (REE) is of technological, economic and strategic relevance in the manufacturing of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE). Recycling is one of the key strategies to secure the long-term supply of these metals. The dissipation of the metals related to the low concentrations in the products and to the configuration of the life cycle (short use time, insufficient collection, treatment focusing on the recovery of other materials) creates challenges to achieve efficient recycling. This article assesses the available data and sets priorities for further research aimed at developing solutions to improve the recycling of seven critical metals or metal families (antimony, cobalt, gallium, germanium, indium, REE and tantalum). Twenty-six metal applications were identified for those six metals and the REE family. The criteria used for the assessment are (i) the metal criticality related to strategic and economic issues; (ii) the share of the worldwide mine or refinery production going to EEE manufacturing; (iii) rough estimates of the concentration and the content of the metals in the products; (iv) the accuracy of the data already available; and (v) the occurrence of the application in specific WEEE groups. Eight applications were classified as relevant for further research, including the use of antimony as a flame retardant, gallium and germanium in integrated circuits, rare earths in phosphors and permanent magnets, cobalt in batteries, tantalum capacitors and indium as an indium–tin-oxide transparent conductive layer in flat displays.BMBF, 033R087A, r³ - Strategische Metalle, Verbundvorhaben: UPGRADE - Integrierte Ansätze zur Rückgewinnung von Spurenmetallen und zur Verbesserung der Wertschöpfung aus Elektro- und Elektronikaltgeräten, TP1: Übergreifendes Stoffstrommanagement und Design für Recyclin

Light path design for optical disk systems

No abstract

Ergonomics of the Operative Field in Paediatric Minimal Access Surgery

Imperial Users onl

Deposition of GaN nanocrystals with Ga droplets

Tato bakalářská práce se zabývá přípravou a charakterizací Ga struktur a GaN nanokrystalů. V teoretické části jsou představeny vlastnosti a také aplikace GaN. Dále jsou uvedeny některé substráty pro růst a také techniky používané pro výrobu těchto struktur. Je zmíněna také fotoluminiscence GaN. Experimentální část se zabývá přípravou jednak Ga struktur a GaN nanokrystalů, ale také spojením obou těchto struktur. Tyto vyrobené struktury byly analyzovány pomocí různých metod, jako je XPS, SEM či fotoluminiscence.This bachelor thesis deals with preparation and characterization of Ga structures and GaN nanocrystals. In the theoretical part, properties and applications of GaN are introduced. Further, some substrates for the growth and some techniques used for manufacturing of these structures are stated. Further, is also mentioned the photoluminiscence of GaN. The experimental part deals with preparation of Ga and GaN structures and combination of both. These structures were further analyzed by various methods such as XPS, SEM or photoluminiscence.

The Emergence of De-facto Standards

Increasingly, companies compete on platform technologies that bring together groups of users in two-sided networks. Examples include smartphones and on-line search engines. In industries governed by platform technologies, it is common to see one emerging as the de-facto standard because they are especially prone to network externalities (i.e. when the benefit that can be derived from a technology increases exponentially with the number of users). Competitions for the de-facto standard are high-stakes games. These ‘winner-take-all’ markets demonstrate very different competitive dynamics than markets in which many competitors can coexist relatively peacefully, as they often have a single tipping point which shifts market adoption to one particular technology. The academic field lacks a robust clarification on how firms can shape the odds of their technology emerging as the de-facto standard. This study develops an integrative framework and corresponding methodology for understanding the process by which a technology becomes the de-facto standard. By applying the framework to several technology competitions, insight is provided in how firm-, technology- and market-related elements influence technology competitions. Results indicate that the emergence of every de-facto standard displays a unique path. This path can be divided into six phases, and can be influenced by 40 unique elements, of which 19 are subject to strategic decision making. Patterns between technology competitions indicate a common set of focal points per phase