Dresden University: Award-winning research on bio-based printed circuit boards

Nature-inspired research combines high-tech with sustainability and can make an important contribution to the development of recyclable electronics. At 500,000 euros, the Joachim Herz Prize is one of the most highly endowed science awards. The award ceremony will take place in Hamburg on September 30, 2025.

Around 62 million tons of electronic waste are generated worldwide every year - a large proportion of this, around 60 percent, consists of printed circuit boards. They are part of almost every electronic device, from smartphones to computers, and connect the electronic components used in them. Conventional printed circuit boards have two problems: they are made from non-renewable raw materials and they can only be recycled at great expense. In the "UnbeLEAFable" research project, Dr. Hans Kleemann from TUD is focusing on an alternative solution: with the help of bio-based materials and inspired by the structure of natural leaf skeletons, his team is developing sustainable printed circuit boards for recyclable electronics.

The innovation of this research lies in the fact that nature's synthesis performance serves as a model to help solve a man-made problem. The filigree vascular system of leaves is used as a natural scaffold and filled with bio-based plastics. This creates a new type of material for sustainable printed circuit boards that can replace conventional components. If this succeeds, the project can make a major contribution to a fossil-free future. On the one hand, less energy and no fossil raw materials would be required during production and, on the other, the resulting printed circuit boards would be biodegradable, meaning that the remaining components could be reused. The Joachim Herz Prize will enable Kleemann to press ahead with his research work until a prototype has been developed that could be adopted by industry in the next step and put to use.