Life cycle inventories of LTCC substrates

This study provides life cycle inventory data of a small batch production of two different types of low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) substrates, HERAEUS CT 765 and CERAMTEC GC, with the main focus on the pre-using phase. A comprehensive life cycle flowchart of LTCC devices produced in a prototyping research laboratory was generated. Preliminary results of life cycle inventory (LCI) data were achieved through measurements of energy consumption of the laboratory equipment, weight measurements of the ceramic substrates and auxiliary materials, as well as calculations based on literature data. The comparison of the energy consumption values in the life cycle shows that the co-firing process has the highest environmental impact. The results of MIPS show that the packing material has the highest environmental impact, even though only one of at least four packing processes in the life cycle was considered. Data on the energy consumption and the MIPS in individual studies lead to very different environmental impact results.