The Global Market for Green and Sustainable Electronics Manufacturing 2024-2034

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1              INTRODUCTION 

• 1.1          Green electronics manufacturing              14
• 1.2          Drivers for sustainable electronics            15
• 1.3          Environmental Impacts of Electronics Manufacturing       16
  • 1.3.1      E-Waste Generation       16
  • 1.3.2      Carbon Emissions             17
  • 1.3.3      Resource Utilization        17
  • 1.3.4      Waste Minimization        18
  • 1.3.5      Supply Chain Impacts     19
• 1.4          New opportunities from sustainable electronics 19
• 1.5          Regulations        20
  • 1.5.1      Certifications     21
• 1.6          Powering sustainable electronics (Bio-based batteries)   21
• 1.7          Bioplastics in injection moulded electronics parts              22

2              GREEN ELECTRONICS MANUFACTURING 

• 2.1          Conventional electronics manufacturing 24
• 2.2          Benefits of Green Electronics manufacturing        24
• 2.3          Challenges in adopting Green Electronics manufacturing 25
• 2.4          Approaches        26
  • 2.4.1      Closed-Loop Manufacturing        26
  • 2.4.2      Digital Manufacturing    27
    • 2.4.2.1   Advanced robotics & automation              28
    • 2.4.2.2   AI & machine learning analytics  28
    • 2.4.2.3   Internet of Things (IoT)  28
    • 2.4.2.4   Additive manufacturing 28
    • 2.4.2.5   Virtual prototyping          29
    • 2.4.2.6   Blockchain-enabled supply chain traceability        29
  • 2.4.3      Renewable Energy Usage             29
  • 2.4.4      Energy Efficiency              31
  • 2.4.5      Materials Efficiency         31
  • 2.4.6      Sustainable Chemistry   32
  • 2.4.7      Recycled Materials          33
    • 2.4.7.1   Advanced chemical recycling       33
  • 2.4.8      Bio-Based Materials        36
• 2.5          Greening the Supply Chain           39
  • 2.5.1      Key focus areas 40
  • 2.5.2      Sustainability activities from major electronics brands     43
  • 2.5.3      Key challenges  44
  • 2.5.4      Use of digital technologies           44
• 2.6          SUSTAINABLE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD (PCB) MANUFACTURING 46
  • 2.6.1      Conventional PCB manufacturing              46
  • 2.6.2      Trends in PCBs  47
    • 2.6.2.1   High-Speed PCBs              47
    • 2.6.2.2   Flexible PCBs      48
    • 2.6.2.3   3D Printed PCBs                48
    • 2.6.2.4   Sustainable PCBs              49
  • 2.6.3      Reconciling sustainability with performance        50
  • 2.6.4      Sustainable supply chains             51
  • 2.6.5      Sustainability in PCB manufacturing         52
    • 2.6.5.1   Sustainable cleaning of PCBs       52
  • 2.6.6      Design of PCBs for sustainability 54
    • 2.6.6.1   Rigid      55
    • 2.6.6.2   Flexible 56
    • 2.6.6.3   Additive manufacturing 56
    • 2.6.6.4   In-mold elctronics (IME) 58
  • 2.6.7      Materials             58
    • 2.6.7.1   Metal cores        58
    • 2.6.7.2   Recycled laminates          59
    • 2.6.7.3   Conductive inks 59
    • 2.6.7.4   Green and lead-free solder          62
    • 2.6.7.5   Biodegradable substrates             62
      • 2.6.7.5.1               Bacterial Cellulose           63
      • 2.6.7.5.2               Mycelium            64
      • 2.6.7.5.3               Lignin    66
      • 2.6.7.5.4               Cellulose Nanofibers      68
      • 2.6.7.5.5               Soy Protein         71
      • 2.6.7.5.6               Algae     72
      • 2.6.7.5.7               PHAs     72
    • 2.6.7.6   Biobased inks     73
  • 2.6.8      Substrates          74
    • 2.6.8.1   Halogen-free FR4             74
      • 2.6.8.1.1               FR4 limitations   74
      • 2.6.8.1.2               FR4 alternatives                75
      • 2.6.8.1.3               Bio-Polyimide    76
    • 2.6.8.2   Metal-core PCBs               78
    • 2.6.8.3   Biobased PCBs   78
      • 2.6.8.3.1               Flexible (bio) polyimide PCBs      79
      • 2.6.8.3.2               Recent commercial activity          80
    • 2.6.8.4   Paper-based PCBs           81
    • 2.6.8.5   PCBs without solder mask            81
    • 2.6.8.6   Thinner dielectrics           81
    • 2.6.8.7   Recycled plastic substrates          82
    • 2.6.8.8   Flexible substrates          82
  • 2.6.9      Sustainable patterning and metallization in electronics manufacturing     82
    • 2.6.9.1   Introduction       82
    • 2.6.9.2   Issues with sustainability               83
    • 2.6.9.3   Regeneration and reuse of etching chemicals       83
    • 2.6.9.4   Transition from Wet to Dry phase patterning       84
    • 2.6.9.5   Print-and-plate 85
    • 2.6.9.6   Approaches        86
      • 2.6.9.6.1               Direct Printed Electronics             86
      • 2.6.9.6.2               Photonic Sintering           87
      • 2.6.9.6.3               Biometallization                88
      • 2.6.9.6.4               Plating Resist Alternatives            89
      • 2.6.9.6.5               Laser-Induced Forward Transfer 89
      • 2.6.9.6.6               Electrohydrodynamic Printing     92
      • 2.6.9.6.7               Electrically conductive adhesives (ECAs  92
      • 2.6.9.6.8               Green electroless plating              94
      • 2.6.9.6.9               Smart Masking  95
      • 2.6.9.6.10             Component Integration 95
      • 2.6.9.6.11             Bio-inspired material deposition 95
      • 2.6.9.6.12             Multi-material jetting     96
      • 2.6.9.6.13             Vacuumless deposition 97
      • 2.6.9.6.14             Upcycling waste streams              98
  • 2.6.10    Sustainable attachment and integration of components 98
    • 2.6.10.1                Conventional component attachment materials 98
    • 2.6.10.2                Materials             100
      • 2.6.10.2.1             Conductive adhesives    100
      • 2.6.10.2.2             Biodegradable adhesives              100
      • 2.6.10.2.3             Magnets              100
      • 2.6.10.2.4             Bio-based solders            101
      • 2.6.10.2.5             Bio-derived solders         101
      • 2.6.10.2.6             Recycled plastics               101
      • 2.6.10.2.7             Nano adhesives 101
      • 2.6.10.2.8             Shape memory polymers              102
      • 2.6.10.2.9             Photo-reversible polymers          103
      • 2.6.10.2.10          Conductive biopolymers               104
    • 2.6.10.3                Processes            105
      • 2.6.10.3.1             Traditional thermal processing methods 105
      • 2.6.10.3.2             Low temperature solder               106
      • 2.6.10.3.3             Reflow soldering              109
      • 2.6.10.3.4             Induction soldering         109
      • 2.6.10.3.5             UV curing             110
      • 2.6.10.3.6             Near-infrared (NIR) radiation curing         110
      • 2.6.10.3.7             Photonic sintering/curing             111
      • 2.6.10.3.8             Component embedding 111
      • 2.6.10.3.9             Hybrid integration           111
• 2.7          SUSTAINABLE INTEGRATED CIRCUITS (IC)    113
  • 2.7.1      IC manufacturing             113
  • 2.7.2      Sustainable IC manufacturing     114
  • 2.7.3      Wafer production            114
    • 2.7.3.1   Silicon   115
    • 2.7.3.2   Gallium nitride ICs           115
    • 2.7.3.3   Flexible ICs          115
    • 2.7.3.4   Fully printed organic ICs 116
  • 2.7.4      Oxidation methods         117
    • 2.7.4.1   Sustainable oxidation     117
    • 2.7.4.2   Metal oxides      118
    • 2.7.4.3   Recycling             119
    • 2.7.4.4   Thin gate oxide layers    119
  • 2.7.5      Patterning and doping   120
    • 2.7.5.1   Processes            120
      • 2.7.5.1.1               Wet etching       120
      • 2.7.5.1.2               Dry plasma etching          120
      • 2.7.5.1.3               Lift-off patterning            121
      • 2.7.5.1.4               Surface doping  121
  • 2.7.6      Metallization      122
  • 2.7.6.1   Evaporation        122
    • 2.7.6.2   Plating  123
    • 2.7.6.3   Printing 123
      • 2.7.6.3.1               Printed metal gates for organic thin film transistors          123
    • 2.7.6.4   Physical vapour deposition (PVD)              124
• 2.8          End of life            125
  • 2.8.1      Hazardous waste              125
  • 2.8.2      Emissions            126
  • 2.8.3      Water Usage      127
  • 2.8.4      Recycling             128
    • 2.8.4.1   Mechanical recycling      129
    • 2.8.4.2   Electro-Mechanical Separation   130
    • 2.8.4.3   Chemical Recycling          130
    • 2.8.4.4   Electrochemical Processes           131
    • 2.8.4.5   Thermal Recycling            131
  • 2.8.5      Green Certification          132

3              GLOBAL MARKET AND REVENUES 2018-2034       

• 3.1          Global PCB manufacturing industry          133
  • 3.1.1      PCB revenues    133
• 3.2          Sustainable PCBs              134
• 3.3          Sustainable ICs  137

4              COMPANY PROFILES       139 (44 company profiles)

5              RESEARCH METHODOLOGY         191

• 5.1          Objectives of This Report              191

6              REFERENCES       192

List of Tables

• Table 1. Key factors driving adoption of green electronics.             15
• Table 2. Key circular economy strategies for electronics. 18
• Table 3. Regulations pertaining to green electronics.        20
• Table 4. Companies developing bio-based batteries for application in sustainable electronics.       22
• Table 5. Benefits of Green Electronics Manufacturing      24
• Table 6. Challenges in adopting Green Electronics manufacturing.              26
• Table 7. Major chipmakers' renewable energy road maps.             30
• Table 8. Energy efficiency in sustainable electronics manufacturing.          31
• Table 9. Composition of plastic waste streams.   34
• Table 10. Comparison of mechanical and advanced chemical recycling.    35
• Table 11. Example chemically recycled plastic products.  36
• Table 12. Bio-based and non-toxic materials in sustainable electronics.    37
• Table 13. Key focus areas for enabling greener and ethically responsible electronics supply chains.              40
• Table 14. Sustainability programs and disclosure from major electronics brands. 43
• Table 15. PCB manufacturing process.    46
• Table 16. Challenges in PCB manufacturing.         47
• Table 17. 3D PCB manufacturing.              49
• Table 18.  Comparison of some sustainable PCB alternatives against conventional options in terms of key performance factors. 50
• Table 19. Sustainable PCB supply chain.  51
• Table 20. Key areas where the PCB industry can improve sustainability.   52
• Table 21. Improving sustainability of PCB design.               54
• Table 22. PCB design options for sustainability.   55
• Table 23.  Sustainability benefits and challenges associated with 3D printing.        57
• Table 24. Conductive ink producers.        61
• Table 25.  Green and lead-free solder companies.             62
• Table 26. Biodegradable substrates for PCBs.       62
• Table 27. Overview of mycelium fibers-description, properties, drawbacks and applications.          64
• Table 28. Application of lignin in composites.      66
• Table 29. Properties of lignins and their applications.       67
• Table 30. Properties of flexible electronics‐cellulose nanofiber film (nanopaper). 69
• Table 31. Companies developing cellulose nanofibers for electronics.       70
• Table 32. Commercially available PHAs.  73
• Table 33. Main limitations of the FR4 material system used for manufacturing printed circuit boards (PCBs).          74
• Table 34. Halogen-free FR4 companies.  77
• Table 35. Properties of biobased PCBs.   78
• Table 36. Applications of flexible (bio) polyimide PCBs.    80
• Table 37. Main patterning and metallization steps in PCB fabrication and sustainable options.       82
• Table 38. Sustainability issues with conventional metallization processes.              83
• Table 39. Benefits of print-and-plate.      85
• Table 40. Sustainable alternative options to standard plating resists used in printed circuit board (PCB) fabrication.                89
• Table 41. Applications for laser induced forward transfer               90
• Table 42. Copper versus silver inks in laser-induced forward transfer (LIFT) for electronics fabrication.       91
• Table 43. Approaches for in-situ oxidation prevention.    91
• Table 44. Market readiness and maturity of different lead-free solders and electrically conductive adhesives (ECAs) for electronics manufacturing.          93
• Table 45. Advantages of green electroless plating.             94
• Table 46. Comparison of component attachment materials.          98
• Table 47. Comparison between sustainable and conventional component attachment materials for printed circuit boards  99
• Table 48. Comparison between the SMAs and SMPs.       102
• Table 49. Comparison of conductive biopolymers versus conventional materials for printed circuit board fabrication.                104
• Table 50. Comparison of curing and reflow processes used for attaching components in electronics assembly.       105
• Table 51. Low temperature solder alloys.              106
• Table 52. Thermally sensitive substrate materials.             107
• Table 53. Limitations of existing IC production.   113
• Table 54. Strategies for improving sustainability in integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing. 114
• Table 55. Comparison of oxidation methods and level of sustainability.    117
• Table 56. Stage of commercialization for oxides. 118
• Table 57. Alternative doping techniques.               122
• Table 58.  Metal content mg / Kg in Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) from waste desktop computers.              129
• Table 59. Chemical recycling methods for handling electronic waste.        130
• Table 60.  Electrochemical processes for recycling metals from electronic waste  131
• Table 61. Thermal recycling processes for electronic waste.          131
• Table 62. Global PCB revenues 2018-2034 (billions USD), by substrate types.        133
• Table 63. Global sustainable PCB revenues 2018-2034, by type (millions USD).     134
• Table 64. Global sustainable ICs revenues 2018-2034, by type (millions USD).       137
• Table 65. Oji Holdings CNF products.       173

List of Figures

• Figure 1. Closed-loop manufacturing.      27
• Figure 2. Sustainable supply chain for electronics.             40
• Figure 3. Flexible PCB.    48
• Figure 4. Vapor degreasing.         53
• Figure 5. Multi-layered PCB.        55
• Figure 6. 3D printed PCB.              57
• Figure 7. In-mold electronics prototype devices and products.     58
• Figure 8. Silver nanocomposite ink after sintering and resin bonding of discrete electronic components.  60
• Figure 9. Typical structure of mycelium-based foam.        65
• Figure 10. Flexible electronic substrate made from CNF. 70
• Figure 11. CNF composite.           70
• Figure 12. Oji CNF transparent sheets.    71
• Figure 13. Electronic components using cellulose nanofibers as insulating materials.          71
• Figure 14. BLOOM masterbatch from Algix.           72
• Figure 15. Dell's Concept Luna laptop.     80
• Figure 16.  Direct-write, precision dispensing, and 3D printing platform for 3D printed electronics.              86
• Figure 17. 3D printed circuit boards from Nano Dimension.           87
• Figure 18. Photonic sintering.     88
• Figure 19. Laser-induced forward transfer (LIFT). 90
• Figure 20. Material jetting 3d printing.    96
• Figure 21. Material jetting 3d printing product.   97
• Figure 22. The molecular mechanism of the shape memory effect under different stimuli.              103
• Figure 23. Supercooled Soldering™ Technology. 108
• Figure 24. Reflow soldering schematic.   109
• Figure 25. Schematic diagram of induction heating reflow.            110
• Figure 26. Fully-printed organic thin-film transistors and circuitry on one-micron-thick polymer films.        117
• Figure 27. Types of PCBs after dismantling waste computers and monitors.            128
• Figure 28. Global PCB revenues 2018-2034 (billions USD), by substrate types.       134
• Figure 29. Global sustainable PCB revenues 2018-2034, by type (millions USD).    136
• Figure 30. Global sustainable ICs revenues 2018-2034, by type (millions USD).      138
• Figure 31. Piezotech® FC.             144
• Figure 32. PowerCoat® paper.    145
• Figure 33. BeFC® biofuel cell and digital platform.              147
• Figure 34. DPP-360 machine.      150
• Figure 35. P-Flex® Flexible Circuit.             153
• Figure 36. Fairphone 4.  155
• Figure 37. In2tec’s fully recyclable flexible circuit board assembly.             161
• Figure 38. C.L.A.D. system.          163
• Figure 39. Soluboard immersed in water.              165
• Figure 40. Infineon PCB before and after immersion.        166
• Figure 41. Nano OPS Nanoscale wafer printing system.   169
• Figure 42. Stora Enso lignin battery materials.     181
• Figure 43. 3D printed electronics.             183
• Figure 44. Tactotek IME device. 184
• Figure 45. TactoTek® IMSE® SiP - System In Package.        185
• Figure 46. Verde Bio-based resins.           189

The Global Market for Green and Sustainable Electronics Manufacturing 2024-2034

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The Global Market for Green and Sustainable Electronics Manufacturing 2024-2034

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