German semiconductor maker Infineon Applied sciences AG announced that it’s producing a printed circuit board (PCB) that dissolves in water. Sourced from UK startup Jiva Materials, the plant-based Soluboard may present a brand new avenue for the tech business to cut back e-waste as corporations scramble to meet climate goals by 2030.
Jiva’s biodegradable PCB is created from pure fibers and a halogen-free polymer with a a lot decrease carbon footprint than conventional boards made with fiberglass composites. A 2022 study by the College of Washington School of Engineering and Microsoft Analysis noticed the crew create an Earth-friendly mouse utilizing a Soluboard PCB as its core. The researchers discovered that the Soluboard dissolved in scorching water in beneath six minutes. Nonetheless, it could take a number of hours to interrupt down at room temperature.
Along with dissolving the PCB fibers, the method makes it simpler to retrieve the dear metals connected to it. “After [it dissolves], we’re left with the chips and circuit traces which we will filter out,” stated UW assistant professor Vikram Iyer, who labored on the mouse challenge.
The video beneath exhibits the Soluboard dissolving in a frying pan with boiling water:
“Adopting a water-based recycling course of may result in larger yields within the restoration of priceless metals,” stated Jonathan Swanston, CEO and co-founder of Jiva Supplies. Jiva says the board has a 60 p.c smaller carbon footprint than conventional PCBs — particularly, it could save 10.5 kg of carbon and 620 g of plastic per sq. meter of PCB.
Infineon has produced three completely different circuit board prototypes utilizing the Soluboard framework. The corporate is presently solely utilizing the dissolvable PCB for demo and analysis boards, and it says round 500 items are actually in use. Nonetheless, it’s “exploring the opportunity of utilizing the fabric for all boards” with a watch on increasing adoption over the subsequent few years. Based mostly on the outcomes of stress assessments, it additionally plans to “present steerage on the reuse and recycling of energy semiconductors faraway from Soluboards” to minimize the possibilities of the salvageable components from future manufacturing fashions going to waste.
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