Companies / Markets

Engineers at Duke University (Durham, North Carolina) have developed the world’s first fully recyclable printed electronics. By demonstrating a crucial and relatively complex computer component — the transistor — created with three carbon-based inks, the researchers hope to inspire a new generation of recyclable electronics to help fight the growing global epidemic of electronic waste. The work appeared online on 26 April in the journal Nature Electronics.

For some time now, the technology company Continental has been equipping many of its rubber and plastic products with sensor technology, e.g. for condition monitoring, efficiency control and process regulation. With the goal of more comprehensively equipping its rubber and elastomer solutions with sensor technology and intelligent systems, Continental has launched a collaboration – the sensIC project – with partners from industry and R&D. As the collaborative coordinator, Continental is driving the project forward with its integrated sensor technology based on printed electronics for hoses and lines installed in electric vehicles.