In the future, our electronics will simply come out of the printer

The circuit board will be a thing of the past

Printed circuit boards (PCB’s) are in almost every device, and they are made of non-recyclable plastic containing fibreglass, copper and rare metals. TNO has reinvented that manufacturing process with printed electronics: an alternative in which layers are printed instead of etched. The result? Less material, fewer machines, no water use and much more design freedom.

The future of electronics is printed

Stephan Harkema, the Sustainable Electronics programme manager, explains: ‘The manufacturing process alone is more sustainable and efficient. We use less material, no water and far fewer chemicals. At TNO, we combine that with innovations in ecodesign, bio-based raw materials and sustainable end-of-life processing of plastics and metals.’

The benefits of printing

Printed electronics are thin, light, and flexible. They can be made in many forms, even integrated into clothing or as a ‘patch’ on the skin, says Harkema. ‘You can also choose other materials: Copper or carbon instead of silver, recycled plastic instead of plastic with fibreglass. This creates affordable, sustainable and ultimately even compostable alternatives.’

A key innovation by Harkema is an extra layer in the manufacturing process, which makes products easy to take apart. ‘That way you can replace parts without throwing away the whole circuit, making repairs possible without compromising on reliability or longevity. It delivers up to a 40-50% carbon reduction compared to traditional PCBs.’

Radically different

Many measures against e-waste are stopgap solutions. Harkema has a different aim: ‘Our mission is to develop technology that enables truly sustainable electronics. Recycling is actually the bare minimum. Repairing, refurbishing and replacing toxic substances, that has even more of an impact. With printed electronics, it can be done. We innovate to prevent problems, not to solve them after the fact.’

Realistic alternative for the industry

Bringing new products to market is difficult enough, let alone doing so in an environmentally sound way and in accordance with ‘right to repair’ legislation. ‘That is why we help companies with realistic alternatives. Everything we develop must be easy to implement for companies. This technology is already proven in the automotive sector, lighting and healthcare, and many more applications are possible.’

Made in Europe

Europe is currently dependent on other countries for circuit boards and critical materials. ‘This is a huge opportunity for the Netherlands and Europe to reshore production’, Harkema concludes. ‘E-waste contains metals worth tens of billions. Why throw that away? Especially now that we have such a fantastic new manufacturing process. I can already envisage the product label: printed electronics, made in Europe.’