E-waste, also known as electronic garbage, is a significant pollutant and is becoming an alarming issue. However, researchers have processed mushroom skin such that it can be utilized to create biodegradable electronics. These gadgets are called “Myceliotronics,” named after the component of a mushroom used in their manufacturing. These gadgets emerge as a substitute for materials that are difficult to recycle and non-biodegradable, potentially eradicating all the e-waste we make.
How to Use fungus in electronics?
Mycelium skins can be used as substrates for electronic devices, physicists and materials scientists in Austria have revealed. The thin skins can create autonomous sensing devices consisting of mycelium batteries, a humidity and proximity sensor, and a Bluetooth communication module. Besides providing a flexible surface for electrical circuits to be patterned, the skins are biodegradable and can help cut electronic waste.
The researchers produced the mycelium skins from the fungus Ganoderma lucidum, which grows on dead hardwood in mild temperate climates. They used physical vapor deposition to place a thin layer of copper and gold on the skin to create electronic circuits. Metal was removed from this surface layer via laser ablation, leaving conducting paths behind.
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