Advanced Materials and Systems for Biodegradable, Transient Electronics

Abstract

of wastes. [4] Furthermore, self-destructive property induced by external stimuli such as moisture, light, and heat can expand its potential application to security-related electronics for protecting private and confidential information. [5-7] Combined uses of natural or synthesized biodegradable polymers with non-transient electronic materials were examples of early research direction of water-soluble electronic devices, which allowed to partially disintegrate into fragmentation due to collapse of the substrates. [8-10] Recognition of chemical reactivity of monocrystalline silicon nanomembranes (Si NMs) in aqueous solutions reached a turning point in transient system through integration with other inorganicbased conductors and insulators, enabling to fabricate almost any types of existing silicon-based electronic devices in a transient form with moderate modifications. [11] Demonstrated examples included device components, sensors, actuators, and energy sources with electrical behaviors comparable to those of state-ofthe-art devices. Successful follow-ups to initial works provided various interpretations of the dissolution kinetics and versatile organic-and inorganic-based materials and devices to accomplish a wide spectrum of this technology for potential applications in biological researches to clinical medicine and other possible areas. In the following, we discuss various types of biodegradable inorganic/organic materials along with their degradation mechanisms and biocompatible properties, diverse manufacturing processes for electronic devices and systems, examples of basic transient electronic components, and different strategies/concepts of transience. Representative applications in the fields of bioengineering, green-electronics, security systems, and others are reviewed, and concluding remarks address some challenges and perspectives for the future of transient electronics. 2. Bioresorbable Materials 2.1. Inorganic Materials Figure 1a shows a representative example of water-soluble electronic devices that contained electronic components, involving a transistor, diode, inductor, capacitor, resistor, and interconnects. [11] All components consisted of various inorganic biodegradable constituents such as Si NMs, magnesium oxide (MgO), and magnesium (Mg) for semiconductors, gate and interlayer dielectrics, and conductors, that can be degraded into benign and biocompatible end products. In addition, many other inorganic Transient electronics refers to an emerging class of advanced technology, defined by an ability to chemically or physically dissolve, disintegrate, and degrade in actively or passively controlled fashions to leave environmentally and physiologically harmless by-products in environments, particularly in bio-fluids or aqueous solutions. The unusual properties that are opposite to operational modes in conventional electronics for a nearly infinite time frame offer unprecedented opportunities in research areas of eco-friendly electronics, temporary biomedical implants, data-secure hardware system...

Environment-friendly degradable zinc-ion battery based on guar gum-cellulose aerogel electrolyte

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A New Class of Electronic Devices Based on Flexible Porous Substrates

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The Food–Materials Nexus: Next Generation Bioplastics and Advanced Materials from Agri‐Food Residues

“…The last decade has witnessed a fast development in the area of biodegradable and/or bio-based materials as precursors for electronic devices, sensors, actuators, and flexible electronics, among others. [531][532][533][534][535][536] This is mainly because such materials can reduce the waste streams associated with recycling or disposal of devices along with the minimization of health risks, e.g., by avoiding hazardous waste streams typical of conventional routes. In this context, the term "transient electronics" has been employed, which refers to electronic materials, components, and circuits that dissolve or decompose by hydrolysis or composting in given environments in a programmed fashion, as is the case for some biodegradable bioplastics.…”