Modern technology evolves at breakneck speed. Every day, a new gadget hits the shelves, promising to make life more connected, more efficient, and more exciting. In many cases, it does. From AI-enabled devices to high-efficiency power systems, innovation is genuinely improving how we live and work. But there’s a darker side to this relentless pace—one that doesn’t get nearly enough attention: electronic waste.
Let’s be blunt. The faster we innovate, the more stuff we throw away. New models render the old ones obsolete, sometimes within months. While consumers chase the next best thing, entire landfills are swelling with yesterday’s tech. And no, it’s not just outdated flip phones or grandma’s CRT television. We're talking about everything from smartwatches to industrial control modules.
Now, the regulatory world hasn’t been completely asleep at the wheel. Frameworks like RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) and REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) have attempted to clean up the industry. They’ve helped to some extent—lead-based solders and flame-retardants with scary acronyms have been reduced in consumer goods.
However, even with these rules in place, modern electronics are still filled with materials that are toxic, difficult to separate, or both. Think rare earth metals, brominated plastics, and the glue-laden designs of so-called "eco-friendly" products. It’s not just about what goes into them—it's about what happens after they've outlived their usefulness.
Making matters worse, a lot of them end up exactly where they shouldn’t—in landfills or open-air burn pits. In some regions, it's actually cheaper to dump or incinerate electronics than to recycle them properly. And when that happens, we’re not just talking about wasted materials, we’re talking about chemical leaching into groundwater, carcinogenic smoke in the atmosphere, and a long list of environmental disasters that follow.
Let’s not forget the dangers at the component level either. Lithium-ion batteries, for example, are fantastic for portability and energy density—but they’re also miniature time bombs if not handled properly. Drop one, pierce one, or store it incorrectly, and you’re looking at a potential fire hazard or even an explosion. Not to mention the battery’s electrolyte mix can release caustic vapors and toxic gases when compromised.
A team of researchers from the University of Glasgow has made a significant breakthrough in the development of supercapacitors. The researchers, led by Jun Young Cheong from the James Watt School of Engineering, have discovered a unique method to stabilise aqueous-based supercapacitors by incorporating a gum extracted from the bark of the Indian cochlospermum gosssypium tree.
The gum, known as gum kondagogu, is a polysaccharidic substance that, when reacted with sodium alginite, forms a conjugated biopolymeric structure called KS. When added to the electrolyte of a supercapacitor, the KS layer helps to prevent the degradation of the carbon-based electrodes while still allowing for the transportation of ions necessary for charging and discharging. This has resulted in a significant increase in the lifespan of the supercapacitor, with the modified device maintaining 93% of its initial capacity after 30,000 cycles compared to the 58% of the standard device.
The use of gum kondagogu as a stabilising agent over other commercial options has several advantages. Firstly, the gum is biodegradable and recyclable, making it an environmentally friendly option. Secondly, the gum is abundant and has limited practical uses, which makes it an ideal candidate for upcycling. According to Cheong, the Indian government faces challenges in disposing of the gum, and the researchers have found a way to utilise it to create a valuable biodegradable and recyclable biopolymer.
Using natural materials like gum kondagogu in electronics isn't just clever—it's the kind of thinking this industry desperately needs more of. For far too long, electronics manufacturing has been synonymous with synthetic, toxic, and barely-recyclable materials. But now, we’re seeing proof that organic, biodegradable alternatives can perform just as well—if not better—in the right context.
Incorporating naturally derived substances into electronic components isn’t just about virtue-signalling environmentalism. It’s about smart engineering. Materials like biopolymers can simplify disposal, reduce environmental impact, and in some cases, even make a product entirely carbon neutral. Burn a biodegradable component and—assuming no harmful additives—you’re not releasing anything into the atmosphere that wasn’t already part of the natural carbon cycle. That’s a massive win.
Granted, we’re not going to be building CPUs out of banana peels anytime soon. Natural minerals and synthetic compounds still dominate where precision, conductivity, and thermal stability are non-negotiable. But any step we can take toward organic, low-impact design is a step in the right direction. And when those steps come with performance gains—like in the case of this gum-stabilized supercapacitor—there’s no excuse not to take them.
The future of electronics isn’t just faster and smaller. It’s smarter, cleaner, and hopefully, a lot more biodegradable.