Made by Meta and Boston MIT, the polymer aims to replace normal polymides to produce recyclable printed circuits
In addition to the recyclable printed circuits, the aim is to produce other substrats for electronics
Electronic waste is a growing global problem, exacerbated by increased production of flexible electronic devices. This accumulation of new garbage could be reduced by making recyclable printed circuits more easily. Sectors such as robotics, wearable devices and the healthcare sector contribute to flexible WEEE. A research team at MIT, University of Utah, in collaboration with the multinational Meta, is trying to come up with it. How? Developing a new type of flexible substrate material that could revolutionize the processing of these materials once they reach their end-of-life. The idea is to reduce the complexity of classic multilayer circuits and facilitate the recycling of components.
This new material is a type of photopolymerizable polyimide. A polyamide is a polymer of imide monomers. These materials have been in mass production since the 1950s. They boast high resistance to high temperatures and wear. These qualities allow them to be used in applications requiring robust organic materials. For example, high-temperature fuel cells, displays, and other objects are used in the military field. A classic polyimide is the Kapton, produced by the condensation of pyrophyllite dianhydride and 4.4′-oxidianyline.
The photopolymerized polyimide offers significant advantages over the Kapton itself, traditionally used as a substrate for electronics. Appreciated for its excellent thermal and insulating properties, the latter is difficult to work and cannot be easily recycled. Instead, the new polymer can be quickly hardened with ultraviolet light at room temperature, allowing faster production at lower costs.
In addition, the new material’s chemical structure facilitates its dissolution using an alcohol and catalyst solution. The process allows the recovery of precious metals and microchips from printed circuits, which can be reused for new devices. This innovation, therefore, offers a more sustainable alternative to the sector. According to researchers, it also responds to current chain challenges, recovering valuable resources such as rare earth minerals.
