Device Suicide

Scientists from the University of Illinois have developed an electronic device that can self-destruct when heat triggered. This technology is all set to cut down disposal of electronic waste at landfills thereby taking the pressure off the environment. They have also developed a radio controlled trigger that could remotely self destruct on demand.

A revolutionary technology indeed, this could boost sustainability in device manufacturing. The team, led by aerospace engineering professor Scott R White, partnered with John A Rogers, Director of the Frederick Seitz Materials Laboratory at Illinois. Roger’s group was successful in developing transient devices that dissolve in water with applications for biomedical implants.

The two groups have been successful in solving the challenges of using ultraviolet light, heat and mechanical stress for disposing devices.

The heat triggered devices are composed of magnesium circuits printed on very thin and flexible materials. The device was coated with wax and that helped in trapping microscopic droplets of a weak acid. The device when heated causes the wax to melt, thereby releasing the acid which dissolves the device quickly. It is embedded with radio frequency receiver and an inductive heating coil to receive signal from the user’s end to heat up and self destruct.