Periodic Reporting for period 2 - HyPELignum (Exploring wooden materials in hybrid printed electronics: a holistic approach towards functional electronics with net zero carbon emissions)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2024-04-01 al 2025-09-30
Humanity needs to create a more sustainable society, to re-thinking its economy and to reduce greenhouse gases and its overall environmental impact. In this context rethinking of the existing electronics paradigm is crucial; currently, electronics are responsible for heavy pressure on our environment in the form of, for example, need for scarce and environmentally impacting resources (e.g. metals and petroleum), high energy and resource demanding manufacturing processes and large disposal rate (worldwide ca. 60 Mtons of electronics waste expected in 2021). The drive toward more sustainable/circular electronics has not only pushed strong legislative actions but has also seeded new paradigms as those of green electronics.
The ambition of HyPELignum is to demonstrate that manufacturing of electronics with net zero carbon emission is achievable by implementing a holistic approach, centred on additive manufacturing and wooden and wood derived materials with wood being a technically versatile biogenic material largely available across Europe. Importantly the activities proposed in the project strongly align with several of the activities/regulations of the European Union to address climate changes such as: New European Bauhaus initiative (EC-Bauhaus-Initiative), LULUCF Regulation and associated European Commission climate goals.
Key technical objectives of the HyPELignum project are:
(i) Promote the use of biogenic and sustainable materials, wood and wood derivatives, in electronics.
(ii) Demonstrate the applicability of lignocellulosic materials, bioderived resins and abundant and low impacting transition as main ingredients in the metals to be used in the manufacturing of electronic elements.
(iii) Develop of highly energy efficient μchip.
(iv) Design and demonstrate novel functional coating to facilitating the separation of the different materials (wood, electronic components and metals) enabling in this way easier recycling of them.
(v) Propose a decision-making tool, based on sustainability analysis (life cycle, toxicity, and biodegradability), to be used for the design of green and circular electronics.
(vi) Contribution to the consolidation of the definition of green and circular electronics.
To bring the proposed objective to life and to demonstrate the impact of the proposed vision the HyPELignum project will develop a series of demonstrators including:
(i) “greener” PCB (printed circuit board) concepts.
(ii) sensors integrated in construction elements and furniture.
(iii) System with detachable electronic components.
The ambition of HyPELignum is to demonstrate that manufacturing of electronics with net zero carbon emission is achievable by implementing a holistic approach, centred on additive manufacturing and wooden and wood derived materials with wood being a technically versatile biogenic material largely available across Europe. Importantly the activities proposed in the project strongly align with several of the activities/regulations of the European Union to address climate changes such as: New European Bauhaus initiative (EC-Bauhaus-Initiative), LULUCF Regulation and associated European Commission climate goals.
Key technical objectives of the HyPELignum project are:
(i) Promote the use of biogenic and sustainable materials, wood and wood derivatives, in electronics.
(ii) Demonstrate the applicability of lignocellulosic materials, bioderived resins and abundant and low impacting transition as main ingredients in the metals to be used in the manufacturing of electronic elements.
(iii) Develop of highly energy efficient μchip.
(iv) Design and demonstrate novel functional coating to facilitating the separation of the different materials (wood, electronic components and metals) enabling in this way easier recycling of them.
(v) Propose a decision-making tool, based on sustainability analysis (life cycle, toxicity, and biodegradability), to be used for the design of green and circular electronics.
(vi) Contribution to the consolidation of the definition of green and circular electronics.
To bring the proposed objective to life and to demonstrate the impact of the proposed vision the HyPELignum project will develop a series of demonstrators including:
(i) “greener” PCB (printed circuit board) concepts.
(ii) sensors integrated in construction elements and furniture.
(iii) System with detachable electronic components.
During the second period of the project (M18-M36) of the project research and development activities have continued in the different WPs.
In this phase of the project most of the efforts were focused on finalizing the development of the functional materials (inks, other formulations), the processes for implementing them and the different components (e.g. sensors, microchip and energy storage unit) to be able to realize the demonstrators that will showcase the project innovations and vision. In parallel with the technical development the project has continued its work in dissemination and exploitation, networking and sustainability evaluation (LCA and toxicology).
Key activities have been:
1) Upscaling of the process for the extraction of lignin and lignin reach cellulose.
2) Development of rigid ecoPCB using cellulose and lignin reach cellulose as starting material.
3) Synthesis/formulation of bio-derived binders, adhesives, fire retardant and coating with controllable degradation.
4) Upscaling and final characterization of highly electrically conductive and stable transition metal nanoparticles (Cu) via a green synthetic process.
5) Development of different inks to be used in the printing of sensors and demonstrators.
6) Development of first generation wood based electronic circuits.
7) Assessment of the environmental impact of electronic based on wood
8) demonstrate several sensors
9) Disseminate the project results via scientific publications, conference presentations and attending fairs
10) Establish the Green Electronic working group to support common activities between 12 EU funded project
11) File 3 patents
In this phase of the project most of the efforts were focused on finalizing the development of the functional materials (inks, other formulations), the processes for implementing them and the different components (e.g. sensors, microchip and energy storage unit) to be able to realize the demonstrators that will showcase the project innovations and vision. In parallel with the technical development the project has continued its work in dissemination and exploitation, networking and sustainability evaluation (LCA and toxicology).
Key activities have been:
1) Upscaling of the process for the extraction of lignin and lignin reach cellulose.
2) Development of rigid ecoPCB using cellulose and lignin reach cellulose as starting material.
3) Synthesis/formulation of bio-derived binders, adhesives, fire retardant and coating with controllable degradation.
4) Upscaling and final characterization of highly electrically conductive and stable transition metal nanoparticles (Cu) via a green synthetic process.
5) Development of different inks to be used in the printing of sensors and demonstrators.
6) Development of first generation wood based electronic circuits.
7) Assessment of the environmental impact of electronic based on wood
8) demonstrate several sensors
9) Disseminate the project results via scientific publications, conference presentations and attending fairs
10) Establish the Green Electronic working group to support common activities between 12 EU funded project
11) File 3 patents
This project made some significant advances, when compared to the state of the art in areas as:
Green synthesis of nanoparticles,
Functional coatings with tuneable properties based on lignin and lignin derivative
Bio-derived functional adhesive and fire retardant
Hybrid printed electronics onto plywood and ecoPCB
Green synthesis of nanoparticles,
Functional coatings with tuneable properties based on lignin and lignin derivative
Bio-derived functional adhesive and fire retardant
Hybrid printed electronics onto plywood and ecoPCB