Elementary Mr. Watson: Closing the Gap Between Design and Manufacturing
Designers Notebook: Basic PCB Planning Criteria—Establishing Design Constraints
Global PCB Connections: Let the Spec Fit the Board, Not Just the Brand
BOOK EXCERPT: The Printed Circuit Assembler's Guide to... Encapsulating Sustainability for Electronics, Chapter 4
December 31, 2024 | I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 1 minute
The Printed Circuit Assembler's Guide to... Encapsulating Sustainability for Electronics, by Beth Turner, MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions
Chapter 4: Sustainability
I like to think that anyone considering using encapsulation resins to ruggedize electronics is contributing in some way towards sustainability targets. The thing all ruggedizing materials have in common is that they work to extend the lifetime and improve performance; surely that ensures fewer defects, fewer recalls and ultimately less waste? When it comes to encapsulation resins, we can do better than that, and the future looks both optimistic and exciting.
Bio-based Supply Chain
Many of the traditional raw material feedstocks for encapsulation resins rely on the use of fossil fuels. Today, there are a plethora of opportunities within this supply chain to source bio-based raw materials. Bio-based materials are completely or partially derived from living organisms, for example crops. As they come from renewable resources, bio-based products can help reduce CO2 emissions and offer other advantages such as lower toxicity. Ultimately, reducing supply chain reliance from fossil fuels towards bio-based renewable feedstocks could be one way of helping to reduce the impact of climate change. It is possible, and easy, to procure bio-based epoxy resins, modifiers, and cure agents. There are a huge number of opportunities to source bio-based polyols, crosslinkers, as well as modifiers. The emergence of bio-based additives for use with these cross-linking chemistries is also on the rise. Companies often use regulated certification systems to ensure sustainability within the supply chain; one example is the ISCC plus certification scheme that aims to prove no deforestation has occurred to produce the biomaterial.
From my experience, there is a general concern that bio-based materials must have some compromise when it comes to performance.
Share on:
Testimonial
"We’re proud to call I-Connect007 a trusted partner. Their innovative approach and industry insight made our podcast collaboration a success by connecting us with the right audience and delivering real results."
Julia McCaffrey - NCAB GroupSuggested Items
Japan’s OHISAMA Project Aims to Beam Solar Power from Space This Year
07/14/2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamJapan could be on the cusp of making history with its OHISAMA project in its quest to become the first country to transmit solar power from space to Earth, The Volt reported.
Cetec ERP Expands into Larger Office to Support Continued Growth
07/11/2025 | Cetec ERPCetec ERP, a leading provider of cloud-based ERP software for manufacturers, has officially relocated to a larger, modern office facility in central Austin as of July 2, 2025.
OKI, NTT Innovative Devices Establish Mass Production Technology for High-Power Terahertz Devices by Heterogeneous Material Bonding
06/21/2025 | BUSINESS WIREOKI, in collaboration with NTT Innovative Devices Corporation, has established mass production technology for high-power terahertz devices using crystal film bonding (CFB) technology for heterogeneous material bonding to bond indium phosphide (InP)-based uni-traveling carrier photodiodes (UTC-PD) onto silicon carbide (SiC) with excellent heat dissipation characteristics for improved bonding yields.
Indium to Feature Precision Gold-Based Die-Attach Preforms at IMS 2025
05/29/2025 | Indium CorporationIndium Corporation® will feature its high-reliability, gold-based precision die-attach preforms for critical laser and RF applications, as well as 5G communications, at the International Microwave Symposium, June 15-19, in San Francisco, CA.
Zuken Launches CR-8000 2025 with AI-Enhanced Support for High-Speed, High-Density PCB Design
05/21/2025 | ZukenZuken, a global leader in electronic design automation (EDA) solutions, has announced the release of the 2025 updates to its flagship PCB design applications, CR-8000 Design Gateway and Design Force.