US EditionSelf-Healing Circuit Boards Offer New Path to Reducing Global E-Waste
- Two Virginia Tech researchers developed self-healing, recyclable circuit boards to address the growing global e-waste problem.
- The e-waste volume nearly doubled from 34 billion kilograms in 2010 to 62 billion kilograms in 2022, while recycling rates remain below 20 percent.
- Their innovation uses a flexible vitrimer polymer with liquid metal droplets forming circuits that repair themselves while maintaining electrical conductivity.
- Josh Worch explained that their innovative composite can be repaired or reshaped through the application of heat without compromising its electrical functionality.
- This technology could reduce landfill waste and resource demand if manufacturers, regulators, and consumers adopt cleaner, smarter electronics designed for longer life.
13 Articles
13 Articles
E-waste is one of the environmental problems that is growing on a global scale, driven by accelerated consumption of technology and by the short life of devices. With only 20% of these wastes to be...
Where does electronic waste end up? It contains rare metals and minerals that are in short supply in the world. But only a handful of them are recycled. Most e-waste fills landfills around the world and ends up in the hands of unauthorized workers in various parts of the world. This is especially true in Southeast Asian countries.
Earth Today | What if a used smartphone could become part of a brand-new device?
EVERY YEAR, around 200 tonnes of discarded battery material are collected from electronics manufacturing facilities in Vietnam. In countries with advanced recycling infrastructure, much of this waste could be reused – powering everything from...
In the face of an ever-increasing amount of electronic waste that is not recycled, researchers at Virginia Tech have found a solution. Their new self-repairing and recyclable printed circuit board promises more durable devices.
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