Empa Creates Biodegradable PCBs for CO2-Neutral Electronics
Empa, a Swiss research institute, has developed a biodegradable alternative for printed circuit boards (PCBs) as part of the EU project HyPELignum. This innovation aims to create CO2-neutral electronics by combining wood-based materials and additive manufacturing, supported by the Horizon Europe research framework program.
Traditional PCBs rely on glass fiber-reinforced epoxy resin, which is highly durable but not biodegradable. Empa's solution uses brown lignocellulose, extracted from wood after removing lignin and hemicellulose. The remaining material, ground with water and pressed, forms a solid 'hornified board'. This board is almost as resistant as conventional PCBs but is designed to be compostable at the end of its lifespan.
Empa's partner, Profactor, has successfully printed conductive tracks on these hornified boards, creating functioning electronic devices such as a computer mouse and an RFID card. The board must react to water or high humidity to maintain its biodegradability, ensuring it can be composted along with metallic and electronic components when the device reaches the end of its useful life. The University of Vechta, a partner institution in the Horizon Europe project network HOCH-N, is also involved in this research collaboration.
The HyPELignum project, part of Horizon Europe, has yielded a significant breakthrough in sustainable electronics. Empa's biodegradable PCBs, combined with Profactor's additive manufacturing, offer a promising alternative to traditional, non-biodegradable PCBs. This innovation paves the way for a more circular and environmentally friendly approach to electronics.
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