Eco-design for the sustainable scale-up of flexible transparent conductive electrodes at the early-stage development

Abstract

Silver nanowires (AgNWs) printed on regenerated cellulose (RC) substrate represent a promising class of flexible transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs), paving the way for a wide range of intelligent applications related to soft electronics. As this technology is still in its early stages, integrating sustainability into the design process is challenging, but it is essential for optimizing the transition from laboratory to large-scale production. This study presents a life cycle assessment (LCA)-based approach that combines experimental measurements, process modeling, and Green Chemistry Principles to evaluate the environmental performance of AgNWs-coated RC films, with eco-design strategies guiding scale-up. The results showed that lab-scale AgNWs-coated RC films have higher environmental burdens than conventional indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated polyethylene terephthalate (PET) films. However, eco-design strategies improving material and energy efficiency can substantially reduce these impacts. Specifically, greenhouse gas emissions of AgNWs-coated RC films can be reduced from 49 to 2.4 kg CO₂-eq per m², alongside reductions of 88–95% in other environmental impact categories. Among the various eco-design strategies, we identified waste acetone recovery during AgNWs and RC synthesis as the most critical factor, underscoring the importance of achieving a high acetone recovery rate to optimize the environmental performance of AgNWs-coated RC films in large-scale production. This study demonstrates the necessity of eco-design for emerging electronics, providing an approach for their sustainable scale-up.