Green Energy-Optimised Printed ICs

2019年，“电子垃圾海啸”达到5360多万吨，需要在电子产品的设计和制造方面进行逐步改变，以进行处置，再利用或回收。在电子产品的制造过程中，产生了大量的化学废物作为副产品，并且副产品和最终产品的综合影响正在导致长期的环境和社会破坏，这种破坏将持续许多代人。由于越来越多地使用信息和通信技术设备，这一问题日益严重，这些设备将更加深入社会。电子产品支撑了许多这些技术（物联网（IoT），显示器（包括VR/XR），智能包装等）。并通过实现固有地具有内置的寿命终止（摇篮到摇篮）解决方案的电子系统，从而不需要相同的废物管理复杂性，为电子废物问题提供了机会。作为一个部门，电子产品支撑着垂直部门的增长（例如，健康、航空航天、制造业和零售业），从而推动英国经济几乎所有部门的生产力和增长。根据Innovate UK的“Electech部门”路线图报告，电子行业在英国雇用了超过100万人，从事超过4.5万项业务，创造了约1000亿英镑的收入。终端产品的巨大经济潜力得到权威预测的支持，例如，IDTechEx预测，到2027年，大面积电子产品的市场规模将超过730亿美元。因此，可持续电子产品对英国未来的经济、环境、安全和社会至关重要。为此，一个颠覆性的印刷电子制造平台势在必行，该平台旨在实现可持续发展，但保持传统电子产品的能力和稳定性，从而最终取代传统电子格式。GEOPIC（绿色能量优化印刷瞬态集成电路）的目标是开发世界上第一个高性能（与当今的硅基电子产品相当）集成电路和组件，在使用寿命结束时，这些集成电路和组件将在规定的时间内物理消失/降解为环保或可重复使用的最终产品。因此，全球环境政策信息中心将实现实现零废物所需的逐步变革。演示设备和电路将达到与当今硅基电子产品相当的性能，但可以展示生物降解性，从而能够安全处理材料，并有可能重复使用。该项目将解决先进制造业对可持续性的迫切需求，并帮助缓解电子废物问题。因此，全球环境政策信息中心将实现实现零废物所需的逐步变革。

The "tsunami of electronic waste", which reached more than 53.6 million tonnes in 2019, requires a step-change in the design and fabrication of electronics for disposal, reuse or recycling. The problem is exasperated as during the manufacture of electronics, a significant amount of chemical waste is generated as by-products, and the combined impact of by- and end-products are leading to long term environmental and social damage that will outlast many generations. The issue is growing due to the increasing use of ICT devices which will become more embedded within society. Electronics underpins a lot of these technologies (internet of things (IoT), displays (including VR/XR), smart packaging, etc.) and offers an opportunity to the e-Waste issue by realising electronic systems that inherently have end-of-life (cradle to cradle) solutions built in and thus do not require the same complexity of waste management. As a sector, electronics underpins the growth of vertical sectors (e.g., health, aerospace, manufacturing and retail) and thus drives productivity and growth across virtually all sectors of the UK economy. According to Innovate UK's 'Electech sector' roadmap report, the electronics sector employs >1 million people in the UK in >45k businesses, generating revenue of around £100 billion. The enormous economic potential for end products is backed by authoritative forecasts, e.g., IDTechEx predicts a market for large area electronics of >73 billion USD by 2027. Sustainable electronics is, therefore, central to the UK's future economy, environment, security and society. To this end, a disruptive printed electronics manufacturing platform is imperative that is designed for sustainability but maintains the enabling power and stability of traditional electronics, thus can eventually supplant those traditional electronic formats. The ambition of GEOPIC (Green Energy-Optimised Printed Transient ICs) is to develop one of the world's first high-performance (at par with today's silicon-based electronics) ICs and assemblies, which, at the end of life, will physically disappear/degrade at prescribed times into eco-friendly or reusable end-products. Thus, GEOPIC will achieve the step-change needed towards zero waste. The demonstrator devices and circuits will attain performances that are at par with today's silicon-based electronics but can demonstrate biodegradability, enabling the safe disposal of materials, potentially for reuse. The project will address the urgent need for sustainability in advanced manufacturing as well as help alleviate the problem of electronic waste (e-waste). Thus, GEOPIC will achieve the step-change needed towards zero waste.