Electronic systems are key components of our daily life, with devices commonly employed in different fields, from automotive, to biomedicine and communication. On one hand, the progress in Integrated Circuits and Silicon-based technology has allowed to achieve integration of billions of transistors on a single chip. In parallel, the field of unconventional electronics, consisting of sensors and circuits with bespoke properties, such as mechanical flexibility (i.e. flexible electronics) and transparency (unobtrusive devices), has rapidly expanded, aiming at complementary market sectors, including wearables, smart patches and implants. Nevertheless, several concerns have been raised on the impact of electronics industry on nature. In this regard, various aspects concerning the different phases of electronics lifetime, such as the supply of raw materials, time of use and end-of-life strategies (e.g. recyclability), are nowadays a main issue for the environmental sustainability of the electronics industry. Therefore, it is pivotal to establish an innovative strategy to bridge the gap between the required functionalities of any smart system (reliability, durability, etc.) and its carbon footprint.
In this project, I will develop green thin-film electronics (sensors, transistors and circuits) on unconventional and flexible substrates, to demonstrate an innovative electronics platform with zero or even positive impact on nature after lifetime. The project will be strategically divided into work packages (WPs) to advance in different directions, from the materials, to the manufacturing processes, device reliability and methods to minimize and reintroduce electronics waste (e-waste) in the environment.
This high-risk/high-gain study will represent the first step towards a ground-breaking technology for sustainable electronics implementation, thus turning e-waste from a global challenge to a resource for ecosystem amendment.