Biodegradation of bio-sourced and synthetic organic electronic materials towards green organic electronics

Abstract

Ubiquitous use of electronic devices has led to an unprecedented increase in related waste as well as the worldwide depletion of reserves of key chemical elements required in their manufacturing. The use of biodegradable and abundant organic (carbon-based) electronic materials can contribute to alleviate the environmental impact of the electronic industry. The pigment eumelanin is a bio-sourced candidate for environmentally benign (green) organic electronics. The biodegradation of eumelanin extracted from cuttlefish ink is studied both at 25 °C (mesophilic conditions) and 58 °C (thermophilic conditions) following ASTM D5338 and comparatively evaluated with the biodegradation of two synthetic organic electronic materials, namely copper (II) phthalocyanine (Cu–Pc) and polyphenylene sulfide (PPS). Eumelanin biodegradation reaches 4.1% (25 °C) in 97 days and 37% (58 °C) in 98 days, and residual material is found to be without phytotoxic effects. The two synthetic materials, Cu–Pc and PPS, do not biodegrade; Cu–Pc brings about the inhibition of microbial respiration in the compost. PPS appears to be potentially phytotoxic. Finally, some considerations regarding the biodegradation test as well as the disambiguation of “biodegradability” and “bioresorbability” are highlighted.

Electronic Transport in the Biopigment Sepia Melanin

“…Indeed, its molecular structure features electronic conjugation (alternance of single and double bonds), which is a peculiar structural feature of organic semiconductors . At the same time, beyond its ubiquity among flora and fauna, eumelanin is biocompatible, edible, and potentially biodegradable. , Considering the presence of redox-active quinone groups in the molecular structure, electronics powered by eumelanin-based electrochemical energy-storage devices can also be conceived. Indeed, the redox activity of eumelanin has recently enabled a number of technologies, such as melanin-based biological electrodes as well as flexible and light-assisted (micro)­supercapacitors. , …”

A PDTPQx:PC61BM blend with pronounced charge-transfer absorption for organic resonant cavity photodetectors – direct arylation polymerization vs. Stille polycondensation

“…15 Second, it further solidifies the position of organic electronics as less toxic, more environmentally friendly, and more sustainable than their inorganic counterparts. [16][17][18] Furthermore, DArP appeals for its atom economy, effectiveness (providing targets in fewer synthetic steps), generation of more benign byproducts, and decrease of the overall cost for the preparation of conjugated polymers.…”

The effects of carbon nanotubes selective location on the structures and properties of polyphenylene sulfide/polyamide 66 fibers

“…Polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) [17][18][19][20][21][22] as a crystalline thermoplastic resin consisted of phenylthiol group was widely fabricated into functional films, coatings, fibers, and composites for the fields of electronics, 23 aerospace, 24 automobile, 25 transportation, 26 mechanical engineering, 27 and chemical industry 28 based on its good dimensional stability, 29 hightemperature resistance, 30 excellent chemical resistance, 31 flame resistance, 32 and electrical properties. 33 However, poor toughness and brittleness still put forward higher requirements on the equipment and processing conditions of PPS fiber and limited its further applications in related fields.…”