What are advanced materials?
The term "advanced materials" refers to a broad and heterogeneous group of materials that have been deliberately designed to meet the functional requirements for future-oriented applications. It should be noted that these are not always very new developments.
The terms new/advanced materials are used very broadly and can include, for example, these groups of materials:
- Advanced alloys (e.g. intermetallic, shape memory, high entropy).
- Advanced polymers (e.g. electroactive, self-repairing, co-polymers)
- Biopolymers (e.g., DNA-based, RNA-based, protein-based, sugar-based, lipid-based)
- Porous materials (e.g., microporous, mesoporous, macroporous)
- Particulate systems (e.g., quantum dots, supraparticles, nanoflowers, graphene)
- Novel fibres (e.g., organic, carbon-based, inorganic)
- Composites (e.g., macroscopic, fiber-reinforced, particle-reinforced, hybrid materials)
- Metamaterials (e.g., electromagnetic, acoustic)
- Nanomaterials (e.g. responsive, with catalytic, optical or magnetic properties)
Advanced materials hold great application potential in various fields such as renewable energies, e-mobility, digitalization or health protection and thus promise technical solutions for global challenges.
Need for action on chemical safety?
Due to the complexity of advanced materials and their diverse applications, however, there are also open questions regarding potential challenges for chemical safety, but also about their actual contribution to sustainability along the life cycle.
For some of the advanced materials, similar issues can be expected with regard to risk assessment in the context of chemical safety as for nanomaterials, i.e. the potential risks are not determined solely by the chemical composition of a material but increasingly also by physical and morphological properties. It is therefore necessary to examine whether the provisions and instruments of current chemical assessment permit appropriate risk assessment or whether there is a need for adaptation to ensure safe use. For another part of the materials, it is also important to recognize that they could presumably pose challenges in other environmentally relevant areas, e.g. limited recycling capabilities.
Thematic conferences on advanced materials
To initiate an international discussion of these challenges, the German Environment Agency organized a series of thematic conferences from 2019 to 2021 with the participation of stakeholders (authorities, science, industry, NGOs). During these events, an overview of advanced materials and their applications was obtained, approaches for structuring the thematic field and ways of prioritizing and assessing the relevance of advanced materials were discussed, as well as the need for action in the context of chemical safety.
Good governance of advanced materials
The German Environment Agency, together with the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) and the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), has therefore developed a joint perspective on the responsible handling and appropriate governance of novel materials. From an authority perspective, BAuA, BfR and UBA herein compile necessary activities in the areas of early warning systems, regulation, innovation, communication and research.
Nanocarrier as example for advanced materials
Nanocarrier can be understood as carrier systems for active ingredients at the nanoscale. They are used, among other things, for protection, targeted transport and release of an active ingredient at the intended site of action. Nanocarrier are applied and investigated mainly for medicine, but also in agriculture, cosmetics, food, food supplements, etc. The German Environment Agency commissioned a report on the current state of the art of nanocarriers in order to obtain an overview on the broad range of existing nanocarriers and those under development. The report provides a compilation of the various nanocarrier in their types and sub-types, and information on their chemical origin and specific characteristics. Furthermore, the report shows application areas and states of development.
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