Biodegradation of Bio-sourced Organic Electronic Materials

Although Electronic waste (E-waste) is steadily increasing due to the use of electronic devices worldwide, it is not being properly disposed of. The incineration or landfill disposal of e-waste causes serious environmental problems and affects human health.
Eco-friendly organic electronic materials (OEMs) are attracting attention as a sustainable alternatives for conventional electronic materials. Particularly, the introduction of biodegradable and bio-sourced organic electronic materials can alleviate the environmental impact of the electronic industry and reduce environmental pollution. In addition, the development of electronic materials based on biological resources abundant in nature can contribute to solving the problem of resource depletion of resources required for electronic products. However, the principle of biodegradation of OEMs has not been elucidated yet.
In this project, the principle of biodegradation through micro-separation OEMs will be intensively studied, and the supramolecular structure will be controlled to develop electronic organic materials with high biodegradability. We will focus on eumelanin pigment, a rich biological resource among electronic organic materials, which is a bio-based organic electronic material candidate for eco-friendly electronic products.

Faculty Supervisor:

Clara Santato

Student:

Partner:

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Environmental Science and Technology; Sustainability & the Environment; Other

University:

Polytechnique Montréal

Program: