Barrier-free processing of materials for environmentally benign life-cycle design

It is required to develop innovative materials technology for environmentally benign manufacturing toward dematerialization. Recently, some barrier-free processes in a variety of materials such as steels, light metals, polymers, woods have been studied from the viewpoint of recycling for scraps and materials selection for poison-free materials, and forming for high performance materials. The present paper reviews the contents of the barrier-free processing. The key technologies of the barrier-free processing are the synthesis of harmless materials from scraps by dispersion control and the simultaneity of forming and microstructural control by in-process control.