The University of Portsmouth and iva Materials are developing and commercialising a biodegradable printed circuit board
This collaboration aims to combat the increasing problem of electronic waste (e-waste) and offer a sustainable answer to the environmental challenges posed by the disposal of electronics.
Electronics represent a growing waste problem globally. On average, each person in the world generates 7.5Kg of electronic waste every year. The UK alone contributes over 2 million tonnes of e-waste annually, with PCBs believed to account for 8 per cent of all e-waste.
The majority of electronic circuit boards are manufactured on a glass fibre epoxy laminate, usually with a persistent organic pollutant as the flame retardant – this has been the same for well over 70 years. At the end of life, less than 50 per cent of electronic waste is collected and recycled correctly and even then, if the gold, silver and platinum metal content is too low, they are shredded and landfilled or burnt.
Jiva has developed a new laminate called Soluboard to replace the glass fibre epoxy laminate that will lead to a reduced CO2 burden as well as a way of reducing the amount of critical minerals landfilled every year.
Jiva will work with Professor Hom Dhakal and his team from the School of Mechanical and Design Engineering in the University’s Faculty of Technology, who will test and characterise the properties of natural fibres, such as jute, flax and hemp, for their use as potential laminate materials.
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