Researchers Tip Biodegradable, Wooden Computer Chip

Every year, between 20 and 50 million tons of electronic waste are generated. Together, that heap of e-junk weighs almost as much as the Great Pyramids of Egypt. That's a horrific level of non-biodegradable, non-renewable toxic waste, but groundbreaking new research out of the University of Wisconsin-Madison could change that picture forever.

Led by professor Zhenqiang Ma, the team of researchers were able to replace components of computer chips with a wood-based material called cellulose nanofibril (CNF).

"The majority of material in a chip is support—we only use less than a couple of micrometers for everything else," Ma said in a statement. "Now the chips are so safe you can put them in the forest and fungus will degrade it. They become as safe as fertilizer."

The biggest concerns about using wood were surface smoothness and thermal expansion. "You don't want it to expand or shrink too much. Wood is a natural hydroscopic material and could attract moisture from the air and expand," said project leader Zhiyong Cai.

The team solved that problem, however, with an epoxy coating on the surface of the CNF.

The environmentally friendly chips performed comparatively well when tested against modern alternatives.

"The majority of today's wireless devices use gallium arsenide-based microwave chips due to their superior high-frequency operation and power handling capabilities," according to the researchers. "However, gallium arsenide can be environmentally toxic, particularly in the massive quantities of discarded wireless electronics."

One stumbling block for the technology is cost. Existing chip production is now so cheap that "it may take time for the industry to adapt to our design," according to Ma, even with the environmental impacts.

"But flexible electronics are the future, and we think we're going to be well ahead of the curve," he concluded.