Electronic products are often discarded after use and become electronic waste due to complicated recycling process and low return. American researchers have recently developed a new type of recyclable circuit material that can make electronic products easier to decompose and reuse.

A report released by the United Nations agency in 2024 shows that a total of approximately 62 million tons of e-waste will be generated worldwide in 2022, of which less than a quarter will be recycled. Moreover, the growth rate of e-waste generation is much higher than that of recycling.

Researchers at Virginia Tech recently published a paper in the American journal Advanced Materials, saying that a new circuit material they developed is not only recyclable and reconfigurable, but also self-repair after damage, while retaining the strength and durability of traditional circuit materials, which provides a potential solution to the problem of e-waste.

The basis for this new material is a glass-like polymer material, a dynamic polymer that can be remodeled and recycled. The researchers combined it with droplets of liquid metal, which took on the task of conducting electricity, just like rigid metals in traditional circuits. Unlike other recyclable or flexible electronics, the new materials address a range of challenges by combining high-performance, adaptable polymers with conductive liquid metals.

Researchers say that this new material is different from traditional electronic composite materials. Circuit boards made of the new material are very strong and durable, and can still work even when mechanically deformed or damaged. Moreover, this new material can be recycled in many simple ways, such as repairing or remodeling by heating, without affecting electrical properties. Circuit boards made of new materials can also be processed by alkaline hydrolysis after use, thereby realizing the recycling of key components such as liquid metal and light-emitting diodes.