REFORM - PRINTED ELECTRONICS FOR THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY

REFORM (pRinted Electronics FOR the circular econoMy) sets out to address the environmental and sustainability challenges around conventional surface mounted and embedded functional electronics. The project aims to accelerate and guide the development of a new European green functional electronics supply chain. It seeks to use ecodesign principles to ensure that functional electronics can be produced that meet multiple application requirements for technological performance and compliance, while also meeting societal and environmental needs for sustainability. To achieve this, REFORM will develop environmentally benign electronic ‘building blocks’ focusing on green, bio-derived adhesives, conductive inks and flexible substrates. These will be integrated into industry-led functional electronics systems and supported by innovations in conformance testing and material recovery methods. Taking a holistic approach to development across the supply chain positions, this project is unique in not only achieving a step-change in technology compatible with industrial reality, but also producing prototype showcase systems with direct future impact on sustainability. REFORM brings together a world-leading consortium of academics, non-profit RTOs, industrial associations, private SME partners and large firms from eight countries across Europe. The project is female-led and coordinated by CIDETEC, a specialist RTO in surface engineering and energy storage based in Spain with a strong track record of leading large collaborative European projects. By combining the consortium’s unique and complementary expertise, REFORM aims to give Europe an innovation lead in green functional electronics, enhancing European competitiveness, and helping meet the ambitions for the European Green Deal. The immediate outcome of REFORM will be three demonstrators: a green smart logistics tag, a green embedded wireless sensor and a microsupercapacitor, taking the project from TRL 2/3 to TRL 5.