New class of Electronics: Biodegradable, Transient, Self Destructing for Security and Biomedical applications

Consumer electronics constitute a rapidly increasing source of waste. Cell phones, tablets and the like are typically made of non-renewable, non-biodegradable, partly environmentally toxic materials. A report from United Nations University (UNU) found that the world produced 41.8 million metric tons of e-waste in 2014 – an amount that would fill 1.15 million 18-wheel trucks. Lined up, those trucks would stretch from New York to Tokyo and back. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that only 15-20% of e-waste is recycled, the rest of these electronics go directly into landfills and incinerators.

Electronic waste isn’t just waste, it contains some very toxic substances, such as mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic, beryllium and brominated flame retardants. When the latter are burned at low temperatures they create additional toxins, such as halogenated dioxins and furans – some of the most toxic substances known to humankind. The toxic materials in electronics can cause cancer, reproductive disorders, endocrine disruption, and many other health problems if this waste stream is not properly managed. To overcome this challenge, Researchers have started developing Nontoxic Bio degradable materials and vanishing electronics that will be better for the environment.

While traditional electronic devices are non-renewable, non-biodegradable, partly toxic, non bio-compatible, fixed in form and function, Researchers are now designing a new class of electronics, called Transient electronics enabled by new materials, with the key attribute being the ability to physically dissolve into the surrounding environment at a well-controlled rate, with minimum or non-traceable remains, after a period of stable operation. Some are capable of self-destruction on command or in response to environmental conditions, such as temperature.  Some are reconfigurable devices and circuits whose electronic structures continuously change over time.

In future these Transient materials shall have many potential applications including in zero-waste environment, bioelectronics, military and defense data security, hardware-secure memory modules, and sensors.