World-renowned scientist Vaclav Smil examines a critical topic in the research and policy domain of sustainable resource use

Over the course of time, the modern world has become dependent on unprecedented flows of materials. Now even the most efficient production processes and the highest practical rates of recycling may not be enough to result in dematerialization rates that would be high enough to negate the rising demand for materials generated by continuing population growth and rising standards of living.

Materials and Dematerializationconsiders the principal materials used throughout history, from wood and stone, through to metals, alloys, plastics and silicon, describing their extraction and production as well as their dominant applications. The evolving productivities of material extraction, processing, synthesis, finishing and distribution, and the energy costs and environmental impact of rising material consumption are examined in detail, along with the relationship between socio-economic development and resource use, including major technological and innovation aspects. The book concludes with an outlook for the future, discussing the prospects for dematerialization, potential constraints on materials, and an updated appraisal of material requirements and prospects during the coming decades.

Building on the success of his 2013 book, Vaclav Smil has thoroughly revised this landmark text to highlight advances that have taken place over the last decade, including a thorough review of statistics and references to 2022. This updated edition also includes new content to explicitly address material for global energy transition and for securing food for a still growing global population.

Praise for the 1st edition

Vaclav Smil keeps turning out amazing books. Making the Modern World, I just finished, and its pretty fantastic. (Interview with Bill Gates, January 2014)

Vaclav Smilis Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of Manitoba, Canada. His interdisciplinary research interests span the fields of energy, environmental and population change, food production, history of technical innovation, risk assessment, and public policy. He has published more than 40 books. Prof. Smil is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (Science Academy), and a Member of the Order of Canada.

Preface: Why and How ix

1. What Gets Included 1

2. How We Got Here 11

2.1 Materials Used by Organisms 13

2.2 Materials in Prehistory 18

2.3 Ancient and Medieval Materials 23

2.4 Materials in the Early Modern Era 33

2.5 Creating Modern Material Civilization 39

2.6 Materials in the Twentieth Century 48

3. What Matters Most 61

3.1 Biomaterials 63

3.2 Construction Materials 71

3.3 Metals 78

3.4 Plastics 84

3.5 Industrial Gases 89

3.6 Fertilizers 94

3.7 Materials in Electronics 97

4. How the Materials Flow 103

4.1 Material Flow Accounts 106

4.2 US and European Material Flows 111

4.3 Materials in Chinas Modernization 118

4.4 Energy Cost of Materials 126

4.5 Life- Cycle Assessments 138

4.6 Recycling 148

5. Are We Dematerializing? 159

5.1 Apparent Dematerializations 162

5.2 Relative Dematerializations: Specific Weight Reductions 164

5.3 Consequences of Dematerialization 173

5.4 Relative Dematerialization in Modern Economies 184

5.5 Decarbonization and Desulfurization 194

6. Material Outlook 199

6.1 Natural Resources 202

6.2 Materials for Energy Transition 207

6.3 Wasting Less 213

6.4 Circular Economy 218

6.5 Limits of Dematerialization 223

References 241

Index 283