Engineers from the University of Glasgow have teamed with industry to create environmentally friendly, biodegradable circuit boards that could transform wireless communication technologies and help cut down on electronic waste.

Partnering with Jiva Materials, researchers from Glasgow’s James Watt School of Engineering have investigated the use of circuit boards made from natural fibres, such as jute and flax, for use in high-speed electronics operating at GHz frequencies.

While advanced circuits often contain ‘forever chemicals’ like PFAs, which cause harm to the environment, these biodegradable printed circuit boards, or PCBs, can be degraded in hot water, while their copper tracks and integrated circuit chips delaminate and can be subsequently recycled.  

Working with Jiva Materials’ ‘Soluboard’, the researchers demonstrated that these green PCBs can transmit signals at frequencies exceeding 4 GHz, which covers common wireless applications such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and RFID. 

The research paper also shows that Soluboards can support high-speed signals exceeding three gigabits per second without any distortion, a range which could allow mainstream consumer electronics with interfaces such as HDMI and USB.

According to the researchers, in the future, this could allow for the development of more sustainable wireless devices to be used in Internet of Things sensors and mass-produced electronic devices.

Added to that, the green PCBs could dramatically reduce e-waste. Traditional printed circuit boards account for up to 40% of the world’s waste electrical and electronic equipment, and often comprise flame-retardant composites and ceramics, which are impossible to recycle.

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Coupled with the rise in disposable electronic devices, such as vapes, digital pregnancy tests, and single-use chargers, moving to sustainable, recyclable electronics could have a major impact on reducing the carbon footprint of the electronics industry. 

“PCBs are a critical component for all electronics and are the silent and invisible polluter,” said Stephen Driver, Jiva Materials’ CEO.

“The complex demands on what appears to be a simple component are challenging, and changing the resin’s reinforcement materials to biodegradable alternatives requires extensive testing and analysis.”