Luminescent polymers are a type of flexible materials that contain light emitting molecules and are hence used widely in luminous displays. Your laptop screens and even the display of your smartwatch, all contain these polymers. These substances have marked a special place in the industry due to their unique and diverse properties. They are flexible, stretchable and have diverse applications.

Regardless of their distinctive properties, the electronics that these polymers become a part of end up in landfills after they reach the end of their useful lives. Although recycling old electronics is a useful way to conserve resources and protect the environment, sometimes recycling procedures do more damage than good. Some e-waste recycling processes outweigh the advantages of the process and prove to be environment intensive in terms of their energy costs and inefficient methodologies.

The luminous polymers are semiconductors and the economic gains to extract them from otherwise useless electronics are huge. Unfortunately, the existing recycling procedures have not been able to achieve this feat and so these expensive substances are rendered useless once the electronics they are housed in are thrown away.

In an effort to get around this challenge researchers at the US Department of Energy along with members from the University of Chicago, Yale University and Purdue University. The team successfully designed a variety of luminous polymers that are both efficient in their light emitting capacities and are biodegradable at the same time. They were able to achieve this feat by incorporating a substance called “tert-butyl ester” into the polymer structure. This substance can break down when exposed to heat or mild acids, making it both functionally effective and recyclable.

To verify the efficiency of this luminous polymer the team of researchers performed a test to quantify the material’s external quantum efficiency, a measure of a light source’s efficacy. The test showed a value of 15.1% electroluminescence which is ten times greater than the current luminescent polymers.

The biggest advantage this new polymer presents is its easy breakdown under even mild acidic conditions and relatively low heat exposure i.e less than 410 degrees fahrenheit. The resulting components can be separated and used in the manufacture of new products.

A primary goal the team at US Department of Energy (DOE) aims to achieve with this breakthrough invention is to encourage the production of electronics not just for design and outlook but also for the ease of recyclability. Additionally, the team has expressed interest in taking the usage of these biodegradable polymers to other electronic devices like cell phones and computer screens.  

Recycle Technologies is a certified e-waste recycling company that is committed to sustainability and environment friendly practices. We are advocates of new research leading to novel methodologies in the electronic waste recycling industry. Our experts keenly follow new research in the field and strive to align our recycling procedures with it. We take pride in owning modern, technology backed and research driven recycling plants in Wisconsin and Minnesota with the ability to recycle large volumes of a variety of electronic waste. For more information about our comprehensive range of e-waste recycling services contact us now.