Navigating through Safe-and-Sustainable-by-Design (SSbD): Scoping Analysis with functionalized graphene oxide as a case study

Safe and sustainable by design (SSbD) is key to the European Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability (CSS), which aims to reduce the negative impacts of chemicals, materials and products introduced onto the EU market on human health and the environment associated. The EC Joint Research Centre (JRC) SSbD methodological guidance published in 2024 introduced a Scoping Analysis that supports the contextualization of the assessment phase of the SSbD framework in R&I activities that now has been included in the revision of the SSbD framework. This article describes the application of the Scoping Analysis to a case study on graphene oxide functionalized with chitosan (N-acetylglucosamine) to be used as an alternative to the currently used flame-retardant additives for its application in battery cases in electric vehicles. The SSbD scoping analysis supports safety and sustainability assessments and identifies areas for improvement iteratively as the innovation progress towards full SSbD implementation.