From laboratory to pilot scale: Sustainability assessment of Nickel coatings

The transition from laboratory-scale research to pilot-scale production is a crucial phase in developing nickel coating technologies. While these coatings are expected to provide excellent corrosion resistance, durability, and conductivity, their large-scale production and application must be assessed for sustainability, economic feasibility, and regulatory compliance. Ensuring sustainability during this transition is essential to minimize environmental impact, optimize costs, and meet regulatory standards.

 

A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) evaluates the environmental footprint, focusing on raw material extraction, energy consumption, emissions, and waste management. Nickel production and electroplating are energy-intensive and generate hazardous by-products such as heavy metal waste and chemical effluents. Sustainable solutions, including closed-loop recycling, optimized plating baths, and eco-friendly alternatives, help mitigate these impacts. In addition, a Life Cycle Costing (LCC) Analysis assesses capital and operational costs, process efficiency, and market potential to ensure cost-effective scaling. Innovations such as low-energy deposition techniques and resource-efficient chemical formulations improve economic viability while maintaining high performance.

 

To ensure the viability of novel products, such as the Nickel-based coatings developed during the NICKEFFECT project, not only the Sustainability, but also the Safety of materials, processes and products ought to be analyzed. To that end, regulatory compliance and worker safety are crucial aspects. Handling hazardous chemicals and potential exposure to airborne nickel particles necessitate safer workplace practices, advanced filtration systems, and strict adherence to EU REACH and global environmental regulations.

 

Finally, by integrating LCA, LCC, Safety and Risk assessments, as well as regulatory frameworks, the overreaching assessment could provide a structured roadmap for the sustainable scaling of nickel coatings. Prioritizing efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and environmental responsibility, the move from laboratory to pilot scale marks a key step toward widespread industrial adoption of sustainable nickel coatings.