Fully Recyclable Printed Electronics (Score 1)

Duke University engineers have created fully recyclable printed electronics that use water instead of hazardous chemicals in their fabrication process. The devices are created using three carbon-based inks: semiconducting carbon nanotubes, conductive graphene and insulating nanocellulose. The team devised a cyclic process in which the device is rinsed with water, dried and printed again - creating fully functional, recyclable water-based transistors. The team was faced with the largest challenge when it came to carbon nanotubes, yet they demonstrated that nearly 100% of carbon nanotubes and graphene used in printing can be recovered and reused during the same process. Nanocellulose, made from wood, can also be recycled or biodegraded like paper. Though this process requires a great deal of water, it is far less than what traditional fabrication methods require to deal with toxic chemicals. This approach could potentially be applied to other electronic components like screens and displays, potentially cutting down on electronic waste. ravida marcos https://www.multispanindia.com...