Renewable-resource Printed Wiring Board Design using Natural Fibers and a Bio-based Thermosetting Matrix

Printed wiring boards (PWBs), also known as printed circuit boards, represent the prevailing interconnect technology for electronics and a key opportunity for making significant environmental improvements. Materials presently used in PWBs may negatively impact human health and the environment - during manufacturing and electronic waste disposal. We propose a more sustainable design based on renewable resources. For material selection we considered environmental issues and industry-standard criteria for cost, performance, and reliability. A matrix formulation based on biological resins and environmentally-benign additives was optimized using experimental design techniques. Flax fibers were impregnated with the optimized matrix formulation based on industry- standard coating techniques. Prototype PWB laminates were manufactured from the pre-impregnated fibers. The resulting PWB design is a viable alternative with potentially lower environmental impacts and costs than currently used PWBs.