Repairing of in-mold electronics and life cycle assessment

Repairing electronics remains challenging due to manufacturing processes in which molten thermoplastics solidify directly onto semiconductor components. In-Mold Electronics (IME) exemplify this issue, often encapsulated in several millimeters of plastic. This study demonstrates a successful repair protocol involving dismantling, circuitry repair, component replacement, and re-encapsulation via injection molding. Repair-induced quality loss was quantified as a 2 ± 2% increase in power consumption. A cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment (LCA) revealed that circular strategies—repair and recycling—can reduce the global warming potential by up to 41%, assuming a 4% increase in power consumption. Additional environmental benefits include an 80% reduction in mineral scarcity impacts, particularly due to silver recovery. Avoiding the manufacture of replacement devices and reclaiming embedded high-value components significantly lowered environmental burdens and improved cost efficiency. These findings underscore the importance of circular strategies that prioritize repair and material recovery to extend device lifespans and reduce reliance on virgin resources.