Sustainable Manufacturing of Recyclable Printed Circuit Boards Using Additive Manufacturing

This paper presents an innovative approach to sustainable circuit design through the development of recyclable printed circuit boards (PCBs). The proposed method involves the direct printing of circuits onto biodegradable substrates using a silver-based ink, followed by the integration of components via Ultra Precise Deposition (UPD) for fine wire interconnection of integrated circuits (ICs). This technique facilitates the assembly of a comprehensive Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT) circuit. Notably, the circuit incorporates a touch sensor-fabricated using the same silver ink-that modulates the luminance of a surface-mount light-emitting diode (LED). This design not only prioritizes sustainability by ensuring the recyclability of the PCB substrates but also extends to the electronic components and the conductive silver tracks. The approach significantly advances sustainable practices in electronics manufacturing, enabling the complete recycling of all constituent components.