This document discusses material technologies and the transition to a circular economy. It begins by defining technology and classifying materials and technologies. It then contrasts traditional perspectives on materials that focus on properties and costs with modern perspectives that consider environmental impacts and full lifecycle metrics. The document introduces the concept of a circular economy with separate technosphere and biosphere material flows. It outlines circular design principles like designing for reuse and recycling. Finally, it argues that a circular economy is urgently needed given increasing global resource demand, material scarcity, and environmental and social problems with the current linear take-make-waste model.

1. Material Technologies
Foundations towards a circular economy

2. Title and Content Layout with List
• Defining technology
• Material foundations for tangible technologies
• Functional classification of technologies
• A traditional manufacturing perspective
• A modern and more sustainable perspective
• Circular flow of materials in a circular economy
• Transition to circular design principles
• Conclusions
Copyright Ferdie Lochner@2019. All Rights Reserved.

3. Caption
TECHNOLOGY IS THE CAPABILITY THAT
LEADS TO OUTCOMES, WHETHER TANGIBLE
OR INTANGIBLE. FOR THIS TO HAPPEN,
TYPICALLY, CERTAIN SKILLS AND
PROCEDURES ARE REQUIRED. Tangible
technologies
DEFINING TECHNOLOGY
Copyright Ferdie Lochner@2019. All Rights Reserved.

4. Material foundations for tangible technologies
Technology complexity
Assembly Platform Array
Material Component System
Copyright Ferdie Lochner@2019. All Rights Reserved.

5. Functional classification of technologies
• Nine industrial pathways;
• Describe outcomes first;
• Matter – choose for circularity;
• Energy – choose for renewables; and
• Information – choose for automation
and digitization.
Action
Process Transport Store
Output
Matter (M)
Transforming
substances
Moving substances
Holding
substances
Energy (E) Generating energy
Transmitting
energy
Keeping energy
Information (I)
Composing
information
Sending
information
Saving
information
Source: Van Wyk, R.J. 2004: Technology: A Unifying Code. Cape Town: Stage Media Group
Copyright Ferdie Lochner@2019. All Rights Reserved.

6. A traditional manufacturing perspective
Materials are traditionally classified into metals and alloys, ceramics and
polymers, based on their atomic structure and chemical composition.
Engineers choose materials based on the following:
• manufacturing processes (among which are placidity, machinability and
weldability);
• functional requirements (among which are strength, thermal
conductivity, and fatigue);
• cost considerations (among which are the costs for raw materials,
processing and storage); and
• operating parameters (among which are pressure, temperature,
environment and biological effects).
Copyright Ferdie Lochner@2019. All Rights Reserved.

7. A modern and more sustainable perspective
Quality and performance now include environmental metrics; and cost includes
full lifecycle metrics, inclusive of societal and environmental metrics:
• Among the first new entrants were classes such as semi-conductors (known for
their dynamic electrical conductivity) and composites (combined materials);
• Biomaterials (known for their interaction with biological systems);
• Nanomaterials (known for their smallness); and
• Smart materials (known for their capacity to respond dynamically to
environmental stimuli).
The balance currently shifts to organic materials and biomaterials, from bulkiness
and mechanical operations to smallness and electronic operations, from material
processing to information processing, and from technology push to demand pull.
Copyright Ferdie Lochner@2019. All Rights Reserved.

8. Circular flow of materials in a circular
economy
Pictures by Unknown Authors are
licensed under CC BY-SA
Techno-nutrients Bio-nutrients
Copyright Ferdie Lochner@2019. All Rights Reserved.
Technosphere Biosphere

9. Transition to circular design principles
• Design for circular supplies;
• Design for resource conservation;
• Design for durability of products;
• Design for standardization and
compatibility;
• Design for upgradability & adaptability;
• Design for disassembly & reassembly;
and
• Design for multiple cycles (ease of
repair, reuse, refurbish, recycle).
Copyright Ferdie Lochner@2019. All Rights Reserved.
Source: Fifield, B. and Medkova, K. 2016: Circular Design - Design for Circular Economy

10. A circular economy business model
Copyright Ferdie Lochner@2019. All Rights Reserved.

11. Conclusions
• Seven billion people require tangible products for daily sustenance;
• Society’s metabolic rate increases from 8 tonnes per capita in
2000, to 11 tonnes in 2015 and 17.5 tonnes in 2020;
• Materials are scarce, difficult and overall expensive to produce and
intensified competition lead to resource wars;
• Communities providing materials typically becomes poorer;
• Circularity is an urgent imperative for survival; and
• Circular design provides for new business models.