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Abstract Direct disposal of used soft electronics into the environment can cause severe pollution to the ecosystem due to the inability of most inorganic materials and synthetic polymers to biodegrade. Additionally, the loss of the noble metals that are commonly used in soft electronics leads to a waste of scarce resources. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop “green” and sustainable soft electronics based on eco‐friendly manufacturing that may be recycled or biodegraded after the devices’ end of life. Here an approach to fabricating sustainable soft electronics is demonstrated where the expensive functional materials can be recycled and the soft substrate can be biodegradable. A stretchable agarose/glycerol gel film is used as the substrate, and silver nanowires (AgNWs) are printed on the film to fabricate the soft electronic circuits. The mechanical and chemical properties of the agarose/glycerol gel films are characterized, and the functionality of the printed AgNW electrodes for electrophysiological sensors is demonstrated. The demonstration of the biodegradability of the agarose/glycerol and the recyclability of AgNWs points toward ways to develop sustainable and eco‐friendly soft electronics.
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Electrohydrodynamic Printed PEDOT:PSS/Graphene/PVA Circuits for Sustainable and Foldable Electronics
Abstract The generation of electronic waste (e‐waste) poses a significant environmental challenge, necessitating strategies to extend electronics’ lifespan and incorporate eco‐friendly materials to enable their rapid degradation after disposal. Foldable electronics utilizing eco‐friendly materials offer enhanced durability during operation and degradability at the end of their life cycle. However, ensuring robust physical adhesion between electrodes/circuits and substrates during the folding process remains a challenge, leading to interface delamination and electronic failure. In this study, electrohydrodynamic (EHD) printing is employed as a cost‐effective method to fabricate the eco‐friendly foldable electronics by printing PEDOT:PSS/graphene composite circuits onto polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) films. The morphology and electrical properties of the printed patterns using inks with varying graphene and PEDOT:PSS weight ratios under different printing conditions are investigated. The foldability of the printed electronics is demonstrated, showing minimal resistance variation and stable electronic response even after four folds (16 layers) and hundreds of folding and unfolding cycles. Additionally, the application of printed PEDOT:PSS/graphene circuit is presented as a resistive temperature sensor for monitoring body temperature and respiration behavior. Furthermore, the transient features and degradation of the PEDOT:PSS/graphene/PVA based foldable electronics are explored, highlighting the potential promise as transient electronics in reducing electronic waste.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2134664
- PAR ID:
- 10446858
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Advanced Materials Technologies
- Volume:
- 8
- Issue:
- 22
- ISSN:
- 2365-709X
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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