Exploring wooden materials in hybrid printed electronics: a holistic approach towards functional electronics with net zero carbon emissions

Reshaping the life-cycle of electronics, from raw materials to end-of-life, is inevitably one of the fundamental steps to accomplish towards a sustainable economy and society.

The ambition of the HyPELignum project is to propose and demonstrate a holistic approach (from sourcing of raw materials until the end-of-life of devices) for the manufacturing of electronics with net zero carbon emissions centred around additive manufacturing and wooden and wood derived materials (i.e. bio-derived or bio-polymers from wood waste).

Wood has been identified since it is a largely available and technically versatile material which has and will keep having a key relevance in constructions and households (New European Bauhaus initiative). Furthermore, its biogenic nature makes it pivotal in the European Community effort toward a carbon neutral society.

HyPELignum pillars are: (i) implementation of the biogenic material, wood, as substrate for the additive manufacturing of electronic; (ii) implementation of Lignocellulosic materials (from wood production waste), bio-derived resins and abundant and low impact transition metals in the needed functional materials; (iii) the development of highly energy efficient chip for driving integrated sensing systems; (iv) exploring new avenues for allowing the recycling of wood and recovery of electronic materials.

Importantly in addition to the technical development the project will also dedicate a significant effort in the sustainability assessment (life cycle, toxicity, and biodegradability) to: (i) contribute actively to the consolidation of the definition of green and circular electronics and (ii) to propose a decision-making tool for assessment of green and circular electronics.