MSGID: 1:317/3 64a8e68d   
   PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
    Organic electronics: Sustainability during the entire lifecycle    
    Materials researcher promotes cradle to cradle approach    
      
     Date:   
         July 7, 2023   
     Source:   
         Friedrich-Alexander-Universita"t Erlangen-Nu"rnberg   
     Summary:   
         Organic electronics can make a decisive contribution to   
         decarbonization and, at the same time, help to cut the consumption   
         of rare and valuable raw materials. To do so, it is not only   
         necessary to further develop manufacturing processes, but also   
         to devise technical solutions for recycling as early on as the   
         laboratory phase. Materials scientists are now promoting this   
         circular strategy.   
      
      
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   Organic electronics can make a decisive contribution to decarbonization   
   and, at the same time, help to cut the consumption of rare and valuable   
   raw materials.   
      
   To do so, it is not only necessary to further develop manufacturing   
   processes, but also to devise technical solutions for recycling   
   as early on as the laboratory phase. Materials scientists from   
   Friedrich-Alexander-Universita"t Erlangen-Nu"rnberg (FAU) are now   
   promoting this circular strategy in conjunction with researchers from   
   the UK and USA in the Organic electronic components, such as solar   
   modules, have several exceptional features. They can be applied in   
   extremely thin layers on flexible carrier materials and therefore have   
   a wider range of applications than crystalline materials. Since their   
   photoactive substances are carbon based, they also contribute to cutting   
   the consumption of rare, expensive and sometimes toxic materials such   
   as iridium, platinum and silver.   
      
   Organic electronic components are experiencing major growth in the   
   field of OLED technologies in particular, and above all for television   
   or computer screens. "One the one hand, this is progress, but on the   
   other, it causes some problems," says Prof. Dr. Christoph Brabec, Chair   
   of Materials Science (Materials in Electronics and Energy Technology)   
   at FAU and Director of the Helmholtz Institute Erlangen-Nu"rnberg for   
   Renewable Energy (HI ERN). As a materials scientist, Brabec sees the   
   danger of permanently incorporating environmentally friendly technology   
   into a device architecture that is not sustainable on the whole. This   
   not only affects electronic devices, but also organic sensors in textiles   
   that have an extremely short operating life.   
      
   Brabec: "Applied research in particular must now set the course to   
   ensure that electronic components and all their individual parts must   
   leave an ecological footprint that is as small as possible during their   
   entire lifecycle."  More efficient synthesis and more robust materials   
   The further development of organic electronics themselves is elementary   
   here, since new materials and more efficient manufacturing processes lead   
   to the reduction of outlay and energy during production. "Compared with   
   simple polymers, the manufacturing process for the photoactive layer   
   requires significantly higher amounts of energy as it is deposited in   
   a vacuum at high temperatures," explains Brabec. The researchers are   
   therefore proposing cheaper and more environmentally-friendly processes,   
   such as deposition from water- based solutions and printing using   
   inkjet processes. Brabec: "One major challenge is developing functional   
   materials that can be processed without toxic solvents that are harmful   
   to the environment." In the case of OLED screens, inkjet printing also   
   offers the possibility of replacing precious metals such as iridium and   
   platinum with organic materials.   
      
   In addition to their efficiency, the operating stability of materials   
   is decisive. Complex encapsulation is required in order to protect the   
   vacuum- deposited carbon layers of organic solar modules, which can make   
   up to two thirds of their overall weight. More robust combinations of   
   materials could contribute to significant savings in materials, weight   
   and energy.   
      
   Planning the recycling process in the laboratory To make a realistic   
   evaluation of the environmental footprint of organic electronics,   
   the entire product lifecycle has to be considered. In terms of output,   
   organic photovoltaic systems are still lagging behind conventional silicon   
   modules, but 30% less CO2 is emitted during the manufacturing process.   
      
   Aiming for maximum efficiency levels is not everything, says Brabec: "18   
   percent could make more sense environmentally than 20, if it's possible   
   to manufacture the photoactive material in five steps instead of eight."   
   In addition, the shorter operating life of organic modules is also   
   relative if you look more closely. Although photovoltaic modules based on   
   silicon last longer, they are very difficult to recycle. "Biocompatibility   
   and biodegradability will increasingly become important criteria, both   
   for product development as well as for packaging design," says Christoph   
   Brabec. "We really must start taking recycling into consideration in   
   the laboratory." This means, for example, using substrates that can   
   either be easily recycled or that are as biodegradable as the active   
   substances. Using what is known as multilayer designs as early on as   
   the product design phase could ensure that various materials can easily   
   be separated and recycled at the end of the product lifecycle. Brabec:   
   "This cradle-to-cradle approach will be a decisive prerequisite for   
   establishing organic electronics as an important component in the   
   transition to renewable energy."   
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   Story Source: Materials provided by   
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   Note: Content may be edited for style and length.   
      
      
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   Journal Reference:   
      1. Iain McCulloch, Michael Chabinyc, Christoph Brabec, Christian Bech   
         Nielsen, Scott Edward Watkins. Sustainability considerations   
         for organic electronic products. Nature Materials, 2023; DOI:   
         10.1038/s41563-023- 01579-0   
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   Link to news story:   
   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/07/230707111651.htm   
      
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