Executive Summary : | Electronic waste (e-waste) is a major concern on both a local and global scale. Because of the ongoing improvement of consumer technology and the associated obsolescence of electronic products, the volume of e-waste is rapidly increasing. E-waste contains toxic elements and chemicals that, if not properly treated, pose a severe environmental threat. This is due to the widespread use of non-environmentally friendly materials in the production of countless sensors used in various fields such as healthcare, security, consumer electronics, and sports. Thus, there is an urgent necessity to develop biodegradable electronics that can match the efficiency of conventional silicon technology while simultaneously addressing the E-waste issue.
Progress has been made in the field of Transient Electronics, a technology that focuses on devices designed to degrade or disintegrate after use. Prior research focused on using water-soluble elements (e.g., silicon, biomaterials) as active parts, with substances like Polyvinyl alcohol and metals (e.g., Magnesium, Tungsten) as contacts, showing potential for future electronics. However, a major challenge lies in the utilization of active materials lacking satisfactory electrical properties, which renders them unsuitable for advanced electronic sensors. While 2D materials are recognized as excellent candidates for electronic sensing, their incompatibility with transient electronics hampers their application. Additionally, the current state of transient electronics lacks precise control over degradation, often leading to uncontrolled disintegration.
This proposal aims to merge two distinct technologies: smart sensors with applications in healthcare, security, and memory, and transient electronics designed to undergo controlled degradation after use. The objective is to integrate these technologies seamlessly, resulting in devices that function effectively during their useful lifespan and then degrade in a controlled manner. A novel approach to this integration involves the utilization of cutting-edge 2D materials such as Monolayer Transition Metal Dichalcogenides (TMDs) and MXenes. These materials will be synthesized through advanced techniques such as Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) and etching.
Synthesized materials form the base for devices on rigid and flexible substrates, with tailored encapsulation layers designed for specific triggers like heat-induced destruction using Wax and methane sulfonic acid.. To achieve thermal triggers, thermally expandable polymers and micro-heaters will be employed to regulate device heating. Furthermore, post-degradation samples of triggered devices will be collected and analysed to assess their environmental impact, a facet that is often overlooked in previous research. Ultimately, the manufactured devices will be employed as physical sensors in applications such as personalized healthcare and security, demonstrating the practical relevance of this innovative approach. |