Synano participates in the European consortium ‘EECONE’ to tackle the issue of e-waste and develop sustainable conductive nano-inks

Synano is participating in a European project consortium named “EECONE” (European ECOsystem for greeN Electronics) under the HORIZON-KDT-JU-2022-2-RIA call. The primary objective of the project is to tackle the issue of E-waste in Europe by focusing on the recycling and reduction of existing E-waste, development of innovative tools and new sustainable materials to extend the lifespan and recyclability of electronic devices. 49 partners from 16 European countries covering different sectors of activity have joined forces to propose practical ways of reducing the volume of e-waste in the EU. Crucially, the entities that make up EECONE represent all parts of the value chain. Synano will work closely with 48 other partners in this mega consortium to develop sustainable and recyclable graphene nano-inks based on use case requirements.

Synano has actively pursued diversification by engaging in this 3 year R&D project starting from July 2023, with an aim to synthesize carbon based nanoparticle suspensions with exceptional electrical conductivity for use as inks in printing electronics. The primary objective is to create inks that not only exhibit outstanding electrical conductivity but also utilize sustainable and environmentally friendly materials. Moreover, a key aspect of the project is to achieve recyclability, enabling the recovery of carbon particles from discarded electronics to reuse them in new batches of ink. Since Synano possesses expertise in development of highly stable carbon dispersions, owing to its proprietary formulation methods, synthesis of nano-inks emerged as a strategic and logical next step.

The project outcomes will significantly advance sustainable and recyclable flexible electronics manufacturing. The developed carbon-based nano-inks have diverse applications in various fields, including wearable electronics, smart packaging, biomedical devices, and energy harvesting systems. Through the use of sustainable materials and recycling processes, the environmental impact is minimized, fostering a circular economy for flexible electronics. More information about this project can be found at Eecone.