The world’s first fully biodegradable electrically active film. (Image courtesy of KAIST)
DAEJEON, Sept. 26 (Korea Bizwire) – In a breakthrough that could revolutionize the electronics industry’s approach to sustainability, researchers from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and Polytechnique Montréal have jointly developed the world’s first fully biodegradable electrically active film.
The research team, led by Myung Jaewook from KAIST’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Clara Santato from Polytechnique Montréal, announced their findings on September 25. This innovation is expected to contribute significantly to the development of environmentally friendly electronic products.
The global electronics industry generates an estimated 60 million tons of electronic waste annually. This e-waste, which often contains hazardous materials like lead, cadmium, and polyvinyl chloride, poses a significant threat to ecosystems due to its resistance to natural decomposition.
In response to these environmental concerns, there has been a surge in research focused on organic electronic materials derived from biological resources. The team’s breakthrough comes at a critical juncture in this field.
The researchers utilized eumelanin pigment, extracted from cuttlefish, to create an electrically active film. Under industrial composting conditions (58°C, 50-60% relative humidity), the film demonstrated an impressive 97% biodegradation rate within 85 days, as measured by its conversion to carbon dioxide.
Visual observations showed complete structural decomposition within 20 days, while scanning electron microscopy revealed the presence of bacterial and fungal colonies on the film’s surface, indicating active biodegradation processes.
The film’s eco-friendliness was further confirmed through ecotoxicity tests. When composted film material was used to germinate barley and marigold plants, minimal toxic effects were observed.
While the electrical conductivity of the film (0.0001 Siemens/cm) is lower than that of metals or high-performance electronic materials, the research team suggests it is sufficient for low-power applications such as environmental sensors, biomedical devices, and disposable electronics.
This groundbreaking research, co-authored by doctoral candidates Choe Shinhyeong from KAIST and Anthony Camus from Polytechnique Montréal, was published in the international journal “Communications Materials” on August 29.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
