txchnologist:Something New Grows on Trees: Biodegradable Chips for Electronics It was just a coupl
txchnologist: Something New Grows on Trees: Biodegradable Chips for Electronics It was just a couple of weeks ago when we featured nanocellulose, a natural supermaterial derived from plants that is getting ready for the spotlight. Researchers are looking at it for durable, transparent composites because of its strength. Others are investigating its use in applications from biocompatible implants and flexible displays and solar panels to better bioplastics, cosmetics and concrete. Now we hear from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Products Laboratory that scientists have demonstrated a new product for the nanoscopic fibers of cellulose, a carbohydrate that gives structure to plant cell walls. Turning the material into a film, they’ve been able to produce high-performance computer chips made almost entirely of wood. By replacing the semiconducting foundation of modern chips with biodegradable nanocellulose, electronics could become significantly less of an environmental burden when they are discarded. Keep reading -- source link
#materials science#science#biomaterials#thin films#electronics#semiconductors