On the materials basis of modern society

TLDR

Modern life depends on materials in its technologies, whose expanding diversity raises concerns about potential scarcity of key elements. The authors evaluated substitution potential for 62 metals across their primary applications. Only a dozen metals lack viable substitutes, and none of the 62 metals have exemplary replacements for all major uses.

Abstract

Significance Modern life is enabled by the use of materials in its technologies. Over time, these technologies have used a larger and more diverse array of materials. Elemental life cycle analyses yield an understanding of these materials, and a definite concern that arises is that of possible scarcity of some of the elements as their use increases. We studied substitution potential for 62 different metals in their major uses. For a dozen different metals, the potential substitutes for their major uses are either inadequate or appear not to exist at all. Further, for not 1 of the 62 metals are exemplary substitutes available for all major uses.