Materials engineering for a better global environment

Abstract

The role of materials engineering including ceramics technology for a better global environment is discussed. Present global environmental issues will be solved by resourceful energy technology and waste management under a minimum pollution of environment. The materials technology will play an important role to mitigate the global environmental issues. Research program on future energy technology and waste management should be considered according to a condition of domestic and/or international regulation. Energy saving and domestic waste management including pollution prevention of atmosphere, water and soil are near term research areas. Medium and long term research areas are non-fossil energy technology and global waste management including removal and/or reuse of greenhouse gas CO2 and nuclear waste management. To mitigate future global environmental issues, traditional materials technology should be reconstructed to build environment benign materials technology which could provide minimum environmental load.