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Overview

General comment

Production covered

X5R MLCC with temperature characteristic (-55C to +85C, +/-15%). Base metal electrode (Ni) construction. Highest volume ceramic capacitor type, used extensively for bypass and decoupling in consumer electronics. 0201 X5R 100nF is the single highest volume electronic component globally.

Modelling choices

This dataset is modelled with no water reuse. No reclaim rate is published for this kind of plant, so the water shown is the full fresh intake and no recycling credit has been deducted from it. The sintering furnace atmosphere on this dataset is charged on the ceramic body this part declares, not on the finished piece, because the terminations and the plating are applied after firing. A Class I capacitor in this family states its own furnace atmosphere on its own bill instead, so the two datasets reach that flow by different routes and each says which it used.

Technology
Class II, X5R
Geography
Global average data from equipment vendor specifications and industry literature

System boundary

System boundary - MLCC X5RSystem boundary figure: identity, gate in, entering flows, the dashed system boundary and the unit processes inside it, the reference product, emissions and waste, and below it the flows that are recorded but not quantified. No inventory quantities.MLCC X5RGATE INRaw ceramic/metal materialsENTERING FLOWSElectricityWaterProcess gasesProcess chemicalsMaterialsSYSTEM BOUNDARYMODELLED PROCESS SEQUENCEProcess sequencePowder preparationTape castingElectrode printingStacking cuttingBinder burnoutSinteringTerminationElectroplatingTesting sortingREFERENCE PRODUCTMLCC X5RTested and taped passive componentEMISSIONS AND WASTEEmissions to airEmissions to waterWaste routesRECORDED BUT NOT QUANTIFIEDIn scope, left out of the quantified inventoryCut off below the significance threshold, or with no background dataset available - each is listed with its reason1FLOWsystem boundaryreference flowentering flowemission / waste

The figure groups this dataset's unit processes by class. It is not a count of manufacturing steps — each process runs over as many passes as the flow requires, and those pass counts ship with the dataset.

Download this figure (SVG)

Data quality and references

Composite DQI 2.2 Good
Reliability
3.0
Completeness
1.9
Temporal
3.0
Geographic
2.0
Technological
1.4

Pedigree scores follow the ecoinvent data-quality matrix: 1 is the best attainable, 5 the weakest. The composite is their aggregate.

Sampling procedure
Component vendor specifications, ceramic/MLCC industry literature
Coverage status
Partial
Pedigree-scored source files
9 — the source records behind this dataset's manufacturing operations. Each carries the five pedigree axes above; the composite DQI aggregates them.

Technosphere inputs

18 flows. Quantities are not published; they ship with the dataset on Circa.

Electricity, China (CN) ElectricitykWh · -35.3% / +64.7%
Derivation basis
  • Calculated from equipment energy across all manufacturing operations. It also covers the facility support this model includes: cleanroom HVAC, cooling water and wastewater treatment.

No source is attached to this row.

Source citations
Not stated
Background data
ecoinvent 3.12
Background dataset
electricity, medium voltage
Uncertainty
-35.3% / +64.7% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit
kWh
Electricity, China (CN) - Cleanroom HVAC ElectricitykWh · ±33.3%
Derivation basis
  • Calculated from equipment energy across all manufacturing operations. It also covers the facility support this model includes: cleanroom HVAC, cooling water and wastewater treatment.

The sources for this row are listed below.

Source citations
Background data
ecoinvent 3.12
Background dataset
electricity, medium voltage
Uncertainty
±33.3% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit
kWh
Electricity, China (CN) - Cooling Water ElectricitykWh · -46.7% / +66.7%
Derivation basis
  • Calculated from equipment energy across all manufacturing operations. It also covers the facility support this model includes: cleanroom HVAC, cooling water and wastewater treatment.

The sources for this row are listed below.

Source citations
Background data
ecoinvent 3.12
Background dataset
electricity, medium voltage
Uncertainty
-46.7% / +66.7% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit
kWh
Electricity, China (CN) - Waste Treatment ElectricitykWh · ±50%
Derivation basis
  • Calculated from equipment energy across all manufacturing operations. It also covers the facility support this model includes: cleanroom HVAC, cooling water and wastewater treatment.

The sources for this row are listed below.

Source citations
Background data
ecoinvent 3.12
Background dataset
electricity, medium voltage
Uncertainty
±50% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit
kWh
Fresh water WaterL · ±25%
Derivation basis
  • Calculated from process-water and ultrapure-water demand across all manufacturing operations, plus facility water allocated to each finished unit. The fresh intake shown is that whole demand: the water-recycling scenario this dataset assumes reuses none of it, so nothing has been deducted, and wastewater follows the same balance.

No source is attached to this row.

Source citations
Not stated
Background data
ecoinvent 3.12
Background dataset
tap water
Notes
Process and cleaning water
Uncertainty
±25% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit
L
Cooling tower makeup water WaterL · -46.7% / +66.7%
Derivation basis
  • Calculated from process-water and ultrapure-water demand across all manufacturing operations, plus facility water allocated to each finished unit. The fresh intake shown is that whole demand: the water-recycling scenario this dataset assumes reuses none of it, so nothing has been deducted, and wastewater follows the same balance.

The sources for this row are listed below.

Source citations
Background data
ecoinvent 3.12
Background dataset
tap water
Uncertainty
-46.7% / +66.7% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit
L
N2 Process gasg · -76.3% / +334.8%
Derivation basis
  • Nitrogen carrier of the reducing sintering atmosphere – the 90% share of a single 34 m³/h forming-gas stream, not an independent pure-nitrogen supply. The PM Review sintering-furnace article is order-of-magnitude plausibility only and supplies no quantitative input.

No source is attached to this row.

Source citations
Not stated
Background data
ecoinvent 3.12
Background dataset
nitrogen, liquid
Uncertainty
-76.3% / +334.8% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit
g
H2 Process gasg · -97.6% / +295.2%
Derivation basis
  • Reducing agent that keeps the nickel inner electrodes from oxidising – the 10% share of the same 34 m³/h forming-gas stream, not a pure-hydrogen supply rate. The PM Review sintering-furnace article is order-of-magnitude plausibility only and supplies no quantitative input.

No source is attached to this row.

Source citations
Not stated
Background data
ecoinvent 3.12
Background dataset
hydrogen, gaseous, low pressure
Uncertainty
-97.6% / +295.2% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit
g
Binder PVB Process chemicalg
Derivation basis
  • Calculated from per-operation consumption, operation counts, and manufacturing yield.

No source is attached to this row.

Source citations
Not stated
Background data
proxy-mapped
Background dataset
ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer
Uncertainty
No range defined.
Unit
g
Plasticizer Process chemicalg
Derivation basis
  • Calculated from per-operation consumption, operation counts, and manufacturing yield.

No source is attached to this row.

Source citations
Not stated
Background data
proxy-mapped
Background dataset
dioctyl terephthalate
Uncertainty
No range defined.
Unit
g
Dispersant Process chemicalg
Derivation basis
  • Calculated from per-operation consumption, operation counts, and manufacturing yield.

No source is attached to this row.

Source citations
Not stated
Background data
ecoinvent 3.12
Background dataset
fatty alcohol
Uncertainty
No range defined.
Unit
g
Solvent Process chemicalg
Derivation basis
  • Calculated from per-operation consumption, operation counts, and manufacturing yield.

No source is attached to this row.

Source citations
Not stated
Background data
ecoinvent 3.12
Background dataset
solvent, organic
Uncertainty
No range defined.
Unit
g
Organic Vehicle Process chemicalg
Derivation basis
  • Calculated from per-operation consumption, operation counts, and manufacturing yield.

No source is attached to this row.

Source citations
Not stated
Background data
proxy-mapped
Background dataset
kraft paper
Uncertainty
No range defined.
Unit
g
Ni Sn Salts Process chemicalg
Derivation basis
  • Calculated from per-operation consumption, operation counts, and manufacturing yield.

No source is attached to this row.

Source citations
Not stated
Background data
proxy-mapped
Background dataset
nickel sulfate
Uncertainty
No range defined.
Unit
g
Barium carbonate Materialkg
Source citations
  • Murata mass table (scaled from 0402)
Background data
ecoinvent 3.12
Background dataset
barium carbonate
Notes
From Ceramic Dielectric (84.6% barium carbonate). BaCO3 precursor; its CO2 leaves during calcination (BaCO3 + TiO2 -> BaTiO3 + CO2)
Uncertainty
No range defined.
Unit
kg
Titanium dioxide Materialkg
Source citations
  • Murata mass table (scaled from 0402)
Background data
ecoinvent 3.12
Background dataset
titanium dioxide
Notes
From Ceramic Dielectric (34.2% titanium dioxide). TiO2 precursor
Uncertainty
No range defined.
Unit
kg
Internal Electrodes Ni Materialkg
Source citations
  • Murata mass table (scaled from 0402)
Background data
ecoinvent 3.12
Background dataset
nickel, class 1
Uncertainty
No range defined.
Unit
kg
Termination Cu Ni Sn Materialkg
Source citations
  • Murata mass table (scaled from 0402)
Background data
proxy-mapped
Background dataset
nickel, class 1
Uncertainty
No range defined.
Unit
kg

Outputs and waste

Cooling tower blowdown Wastewaterm3 · -46.7% / +66.7%
Source citations
Background data
carried, no background dataset
Background dataset
No treatment route recorded for this output.
Uncertainty
-46.7% / +66.7% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit
m3
Waste treatment Wastewaterm3 · ±25%
Source citations
Background data
carried, no background dataset
Background dataset
No treatment route recorded for this output.
Uncertainty
±25% around the published quantity. The bounds themselves ship with the dataset on Circa.
Unit
m3
Plating sludge (Ni/Sn hydroxides) Solid wasteg
Derivation basis
  • Research synthesis from industry data
  • Research report - water balance table

The sources for this row are listed below.

Source citations
Background data
ecoinvent 3.12 treatment route
Background dataset
market for metalliferous hydroxide sludge
Uncertainty
No range defined.
Unit
g
Scrapped material (line yield) Solid wastekg
Derivation basis
  • Calculated from the mass balance of spent materials and consumables, with treatment selected from the waste classification.

The sources below are this dataset's own bibliography. They are not tied to this row.

Source citations (dataset-level)
Inherited from this dataset's own bibliography, not tied to this row:
  • Murata mass table (scaled from 0402)
Background data
ecoinvent 3.12 treatment route
Background dataset
treatment of inert waste, sanitary landfill
Notes
Calculated reject material after accounting for a manufacturing yield of 95%.
Uncertainty
No range defined.
Unit
kg

Emissions to air

2 elementary flows released to air by this dataset's own operations. Quantities are not published; they ship with the dataset on Circa.

VOCs Emission to airg
Derivation basis
  • Authored at the model: emission factor declared by the model itself, converted from its authored unit to grams per functional unit. It is not re-derived from the process-gas inputs and no point-of-use abatement is applied to it; the model's own notes and sources carry the factor's basis

No source is attached to this row.

Source citations
Not stated
Compartment
Air (non-urban air or from high stacks)
ecoinvent 3.12 elementary flow
NMVOC, non-methane volatile organic compounds
Uncertainty
No range defined.
Unit
g
Carbon dioxide, fossil Emission to airg
Derivation basis
  • Calculated: stoichiometric CO2 release from barium carbonate decomposition during calcination, applied to the precursor mass this dataset books. The molar arithmetic behind the fraction is in this entry's notes.

No source is attached to this row.

Source citations
Not stated
Compartment
Air (non-urban air or from high stacks)
ecoinvent 3.12 elementary flow
Carbon dioxide, fossil
Notes
Calcination CO2 from BaCO3 decomposition (BaCO3 + TiO2 -> BaTiO3 + CO2)
Uncertainty
No range defined.
Unit
g

Emissions to water

3 elementary flows released to water by this dataset's own operations. Quantities are not published; they ship with the dataset on Circa.

Ni2+ Emission to waterg
Derivation basis
  • Research synthesis from industry data
  • Research report - water balance table

The sources for this row are listed below.

Source citations
Compartment
Water (surface water)
CAS number
14701-22-5
ecoinvent 3.12 elementary flow
Nickel II
Uncertainty
No range defined.
Unit
g
Sn2+ Emission to waterg
Derivation basis
  • Research synthesis from industry data
  • Research report - water balance table

The sources for this row are listed below.

Source citations
Compartment
Water (surface water)
Formula
Sn
CAS number
7440-31-5
ecoinvent 3.12 elementary flow
Tin ion
Uncertainty
No range defined.
Unit
g
SO4(2-) Emission to waterg
Derivation basis
  • Research synthesis from industry data
  • Research report - water balance table

The sources for this row are listed below.

Source citations
Compartment
Water (surface water)
Formula
SO42-
CAS number
14808-79-8
ecoinvent 3.12 elementary flow
Sulfate
Uncertainty
No range defined.
Unit
g

Flows not quantified

1 flow is recorded for this dataset but carries no quantity — cut off below the significance threshold, or with no background dataset available. It remains inside the declared system boundary; each is listed with its reason.

Not modelled (1)

Compressed dry air Process gasm3
Derivation basis
Not stated
Source citations
Not stated
Background data
not modelled
Background dataset
Not applicable: this flow is not quantified in the inventory.
Reason
Compressed dry air is a known facility input for this category; no allocation driver has been established, so it is recorded but not quantified - deferred, not judged immaterial.
Uncertainty
No range defined.
Unit
m3

Limitations and unquantified flows (1)

Limits this dataset declares about itself: first any limit stated in its own description, then any limit it declares flow by flow, grouped by channel. Each entry below is the model's own disclosure.

  • These flows are named in this inventory but ship without a quantity, so their burden is not carried anywhere in the dataset: Compressed dry air. Each row states its own reason on the row itself.

The flows above are this dataset's own records. What follows are the scope rules set once for the whole database in the methodology report, repeated here so every dataset page carries them.

Database-wide boundary policy — applies to every REEL dataset

These boundaries are set once for the whole database, in Chapter 2 of the methodology report, and apply to this dataset wherever they are relevant to it. The excluded flows listed above are specific to this dataset.

Use phase
Product operation is outside the cradle-to-gate scope.
End-of-life treatment
Recycling and disposal are outside the cradle-to-gate scope.
Distribution and retail
The gate is a finished component ready for integration into a higher-level assembly.
Inbound transport of raw materials
Transport of purchased raw materials to the manufacturing facility is already inside the upstream "market for" datasets that users link to a background database, so it is not modelled a second time here. This does not cover freight between REEL production stages, which is modelled where a dataset authors it.
Returnable shipping containers
Where freight between production stages is modelled, the mass moved is the product itself. The shipping container (FOSB, SEMI M31) is returnable capital equipment whose per-trip share is unsourced, so its tare is excluded from the transport effort.
Photomask fabrication
A mask set's embodied burden is amortised across a high-volume production run and is not attributed per wafer. Users assessing low-volume production should add mask fabrication separately; the methodology report gives the basis for the exclusion.
Employee transport, administration and R&D overhead
Employee transportation, facility administration and R&D/pilot-production overhead are outside scope.
Capital goods
Manufacturing equipment, cleanroom construction and facility infrastructure are excluded, on the grounds of absent public data on equipment embodied energy, uncertainty in equipment lifetime and allocation, common practice in electronics LCA, and a focus on the operational inventory. Future versions may include capital goods when sufficient public data becomes available.
Precious metal recovery credits
Scrap recovery credits for precious metals are excluded pending data availability.
Wafer reclaim
Test wafers and scrap are outside the system boundary.

Inside the boundary, linked rather than modelled

Silicon ingot growth and wafer slicing
Inside the cradle-to-gate scope, but treated as upstream material inputs linked to background databases rather than modelled as REEL processes.
Freight between production stages
Where a dataset's product moves between REEL production stages - wafer fabrication to the packaging site, for example - that leg is authored as a transport service and linked to an ecoinvent freight activity. It is measured as a transport effort in tonne-kilometres, not as a mass. Route distances are authored per route class with a stated band; a lower bound of zero is a modelling statement that the two sites can be co-located, not a missing value.

Cut-off criteria

A flow is excluded from a process inventory when it contributes less than 1 % of the total mass of inputs to that unit process, or less than 1 % of its total energy input. The denominator is total process inputs, not product mass. That distinction matters in semiconductor manufacturing, where the input mass of water, chemicals and gases greatly exceeds the product mass, so the threshold removes only genuinely minor flows.

Included regardless of the cut-off

  • Perfluorocarbons (CF4, C2F6, SF6, NF3) - high GWP, EPA regulated
  • Heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Hg, Cr(VI)) - RoHS regulated, high toxicity
  • Volatile organics (photoresist solvents, PGMEA) - air quality
  • Precious metals (Au, Ag, Pd, Pt) - high embodied impacts
  • Ozone-depleting substances (legacy CFCs, HCFCs) - Montreal Protocol