Biological microcircuits will reduce waste from electronics

Collaboration between scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and researchers at the US Department of Agriculture has led to a new wood-based computer chip that biodegrades harmlessly, thereby reducing the amount of electronic waste (including toxic) that accumulates. after the end of the life of the electronics every year.

The results of the project were published in Nature Communications earlier this week. The United Nations has estimated that 41 million tons of e-waste are generated worldwide each year. Most wireless electronics devices, such as mobile phones and iPods, contain gallium arsenide chips that are nearly impossible to use, repurpose or recycle, making them environmentally non-toxic.

This study suggests replacing the plastic support layer with cellulose (nanofibril), which is essentially a wood-based material. The new type of chip is expected to be more expensive to manufacture, but the research team hopes that costs will be phased out and that biodegradability and the fact that the chip is flexible will be the main driving force in the market.