Materials and Methods for Sustainable Soft Devices

Description

Soft devices provide unique opportunities in our quest for a more sustainable future. Among the key issues to overcome are the search for high performance green materials, end-of-lifetime considerations in complex (soft) systems, and their energy efficiency. This talk aims at suggesting solutions for some of these challenges. We demonstrate battery-free autonomous devices as well as materials and methods for soft systems that biodegrade at the end of their service life. In the first part, we introduce flexible quasi-two-dimensional perovskite solar cell modules that provide ample power under outdoor and indoor illumination conditions for on-skin sensors1. Concepts on how to extend this approach toward powering small to large scale robotic devices are introduced. The second part focusses on highly stretchable biogels and degradable elastomers that enable high performance yet degradable batteries for energyautonomous wearable sweat sensors2. Pushing the boundaries of sustainable electronics further, we show a concept for growth and processing of fungal mycelium skins as biodegradable substrate material3. Mycelium-based batteries with capacities as high as ~3.8 mAh cm−2 allow to power autonomous sensing devices including a Bluetooth module and humidity and proximity sensors, all integrated onto mycelium circuit boards.

Period	20 Mar 2024
Event title	BioEl2024
Event type	Conference
Location	AustriaShow on map