Alloy information helps prioritize material criticality lists

Materials scientists employ metals and alloys that involve most of the periodic table. Nonetheless, materials scientists rarely take material criticality and reuse potential into account. In this work, we expand upon lists of “critical materials” generated by national and regional governments by showing that many materials are employed predominantly as alloying elements, which can be a deterrent to recovery and reuse at end of product life and, likely as a consequence, have low functional end-of-life recycling rates, among other problematic characteristics. We thereby single out six metals for enhanced concern: dysprosium, samarium, vanadium, niobium, tellurium, and gallium. From that perspective, the use of critical metals in low concentrations in alloys unlikely to be routinely recycled should be avoided if possible. If not, provision should be made for better identification and more efficient recycling so that materials designated as critical can have increased potential for more than a single functional use.

Active learning as enabler of sustainability learning outcomes: Capturing the perceptions of learners during a materials education workshop

Active learning is a promising teaching approach that can develop sustainability competences in learners. In this paper, we investigate the potential of active-learning pedagogies such as serious games and active-learning toolkits to deliver sustainability knowledge and skills in materials education. We organised a workshop for 20 participants from UK Universities where they played the serious game In the Loop around critical materials and circular economy and engaged in the Active-Learning ToolKit Sustainable Development (Granta Design/now Ansys UK Ltd.) to assess the sustainability of a proposed policy intervention around the use of electric cars. We used a self-assessment questionnaire and reflection sessions to deduce the level of sustainability skill developed by the participants as well as importance and performance analysis (IPA) to help the educators understand crucial components they should concentrate their teaching and learning efforts on in the future. Finally, we provide recommendations for educators on how to implement active learning in materials education in order to empower students with skills for sustainability. Graphical abstract

Enabling Intelligent Recovery of Critical Materials from Li-ion Battery through Direct Recycling Process with Internet-of-Things

The rapid market expansion of Li-ion batteries (LIBs) leads to concerns over the appropriate disposal of hazardous battery waste and the sustainability in the supply of critical materials for LIB production. Technologies and strategies to extend the life of LIBs and reuse the materials have long been sought. Direct recycling is a more effective recycling approach than existing ones with respect to cost, energy consumption, and emissions. This approach has become increasingly more feasible due to digitalization and the adoption of the Internet-of-Things (IoT). To address the question of how IoT could enhance direct recycling of LIBs, we first highlight the importance of direct recycling in tackling the challenges in the supply chain of LIB and discuss the characteristics and application of IoT technologies, which could enhance direct recycling. Finally, we share our perspective on a paradigm where IoT could be integrated into the direct recycling process of LIBs to enhance the efficiency, intelligence, and effectiveness of the recycling process.

Minerals and critical raw materials: potential and opportunities for Argentina

“Critical” minerals and raw materials are usually defined as those that present great economic importance and high risk of supply disruption. Their integral use (mining, reuse and recycling) opens a window of opportunity for resource-rich countries such as Argentina. Based on a bibliographic review, this work presents an overview of the potential of critical materials and public policies to promote their use under sustainability principles. The results of historical explorations indicate that Argentina has geological-mining potential of critical minerals. However, new investments are required to value, standardize and digitize the available data. It is also necessary to rank these minerals in the public research agendas and encourage their exploration. The potentiality in secondary resources is difficult to estimate given the lack of data on the generation and recycling of industrial scrap, batteries and other discarded products. In an international context of growing socio-environmental demands and persistent conflict, achieving a sustainable management of critical (and non-critical) minerals implies overcoming the “extractivist” model. For this, it is essential to transform the nature of the linkages between the mining sector, the scientific-technological system, the local productive network and the communities, as well as the ways of making strategic decisions about their use.

Implementation Of Halal Value Chain In Business In Islamic Boarding Schools

This study aims to determine the implementation of the halal value chain in the Islamic Boarding School business. In this article, the focus of the study is on the oyster mushroom business, starting from the process of cultivating oyster mushrooms to being processed food, and the sales process at the Nurul Amanah Islamic Boarding School, Basanah, Bangkalan.This type of study is a qualitative study with observational study methods. While the data collection methods were carried out through observation, interviews, and documentation.The results of the study on the application of the halal value chain at the Nurul Amanah Islamic Boarding School Bangkalan indicate that the input process for making oyster mushroom raw materials, processing oyster mushrooms into mushroom chips, and product marketing processes. The input process for making oyster mushrooms starts from providing a place, making planting media, making baglog and sterilizing processes, making mushroom seeds and sowing seeds, maintenance, and harvesting. Then the management process into mushroom chips starts from the ingredients, the frying process, drying, product packaging and marketing stages. Everything is in accordance with Indonesian Government Regulation No. 31 of 2019 concerning Implementing Regulations of Law No. 33 of 2014 concerning Guaranteed Halal Products and a List of Non-Critical Materials (Halal Positive List of Materials) for its supporting materials. It can be concluded that the Nurul Amanah Islamic Boarding School has implemented a halal value chain.

Postcolonialism, Islamophobia and Inserting Islam Facts in African-American Fiction: Umm Zakiyyah’s If I Should Speak

Islam has been growing quickly in the world, yet it is a predominately misunderstood religion. Othering Islam through media propaganda and western writings, and mis associating it with some assumptions are still rampant. Thus, the researcher attempts at showing these assumptions stereotypical prejudgments of Islam and Muslims that are commonly associated with Western assumptions resulted in Islamophobia and exploring the role of counter-discourses in contemporary Black-American Fiction by analyzing Umm Zakiyyah’s If I Should Speak and showing to what extents the novel has an important role in correcting assumptions and narrating the Islamic facts. Thus, this article highlights Umm Zakiyyah’s narrative of Islam’s truth within its historical sources the Qur’an and the Sunnah. The paper analyses Umm Zakiyyah’s reconsideration of Islam’s truth, by focusing on the meaning of Islam and being a Muslim. To do so, this qualitative and non-empirical research is conducted in a descriptive-theoretical analysis, using the selected novel as a primary source and library and online critical materials, such as books and journal articles, as secondary references. Based on the analysis, it is found that Umm Zakiyyah narrates Islam and Muslims to counter the West’s negative view on Islam. Furthermore, based on the story, the power of Muslim self-identification within the historical transparent knowledge based on the Quran’s perspectives leads to the conversion of Tamika Douglass, proving that Islam can be perceived positively by non-Muslims; in this case, it is represented within its subjectivity. It is found that the novel can be a tool of Islamic da’wah [call for the faith]. Hence, the Muslim writers and novelists should write to solve the challenges facing Muslims and the Ummah by Islamizing English fiction.

Postcolonialism, Islamophobia and Inserting Islam Facts in African-American Fiction: Umm Zakiyyah’s If I Should Speak

Islam has been growing quickly in the world, yet it is a predominately misunderstood religion. Othering Islam through media propaganda and western writings, and mis associating it with some assumptions are still rampant. Thus, the researcher attempts at showing these assumptions stereotypical prejudgments of Islam and Muslims that are commonly associated with Western assumptions resulted in Islamophobia and exploring the role of counter-discourses in contemporary Black-American Fiction by analyzing Umm Zakiyyah’s If I Should Speak and showing to what extents the novel has an important role in correcting assumptions and narrating the Islamic facts. Thus, this article highlights Umm Zakiyyah’s narrative of Islam’s truth within its historical sources the Qur’an and the Sunnah. The paper analyses Umm Zakiyyah’s reconsideration of Islam’s truth, by focusing on the meaning of Islam and being a Muslim. To do so, this qualitative and non-empirical research is conducted in a descriptive-theoretical analysis, using the selected novel as a primary source and library and online critical materials, such as books and journal articles, as secondary references. Based on the analysis, it is found that Umm Zakiyyah narrates Islam and Muslims to counter the West’s negative view on Islam. Furthermore, based on the story, the power of Muslim self-identification within the historical transparent knowledge based on the Quran’s perspectives leads to the conversion of Tamika Douglass, proving that Islam can be perceived positively by non-Muslims; in this case, it is represented within its subjectivity. It is found that the novel can be a tool of Islamic da’wah [call for the faith]. Hence, the Muslim writers and novelists should write to solve the challenges facing Muslims and the Ummah by Islamizing English fiction. Keywords: Islamophobia, Islamic Postcolonialism, Umm Zakiyyah, fiction, facts. الملخص: يُواجه الإسلام و المسلمين و خاصة الأقليات المقيمة في الغرب عددًا من التحديات، مثل الادعاءات الغربية التي تُمارس ضد الإسلام والمسلمين وتنعكس سلبيًّا لتُنتج مختلف الصور النمطية والتحيزات العنصرية ضدهم سواء باستعمال الميديا أو المنشورات الغربية. وعليه؛ يهتم هذ البحث بتسليط الضوء على هذه التحديات و خاصة الاسلاموفوبيا، و دراسات ما بعد الاستعمار و دور الرواية في تصحيح الشبهات و سرد الحقائق حول الإسلام و المسلمين من خلال اتخاذ رواية "لو يجب أن أتكلم" (2000) للكاتبة أم زكية من الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية. وقد وظَّفت الباحثة المنهج الكيفي غير التجريبي معتمدة على طريقة التحليل الوصفي النظري باستخدام الرواية المختارة كمصدر أوليّ، مع مصادر ثانوية نقدية متوفرة في المكتبة وعلى الشابكة، من مثل الكتب والمقالات الأكاديمية، وبعد التحليل والمناقشة؛ ظهرت أدلة كافية على صراعات عدة تواجه الهوية الإسلامية في الغرب، ممّا يؤدي إلى ضياع هوية المسلم بين الأنا والآخر، فمن جهة ترغب الأنا المسلمة في الحفاظ على جوهرية هوية الأصل، ومن جهة أخرى تتعرض الهوية للضياع والتهجين والازدواجية بسبب السياسات العنصرية والثقافة الغربية والشعور بالتغريب، ومن أهمية هذا البحث. كما أثبتت الدراسة أنّ للرواية دور مهم في تصحيح الشبهات و سرد الحقائق، و لذلك نوصي بأسلمة الرواية و الكتاب بتسليط رواياتهم و أقلامهم على سرد الهوية و الثقافة الإسلامية بدل التقليد و التبعية للأدب الغربي دون مراعاة الهوية و مقوماتها. الكلمات المفتاحية: الاسلاموفوبيا، دراسات ما بعد الكولونيالية و الإسلام، أم زكية، السرد.