STTR Phase I: Biodegradable Electronic Sensors to Measure Environmental Data for Perishable Goods

The broader impact / commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project is to minimize food waste, reduce electronic sensor waste, and develop a printed, biodegradable, electronic sensor. According to the United Nations, food waste is valued at $2.4 trillion/year worldwide with the majority of the expense attributed to transport. Electronic waste is approximately 50 million tons/year with less than 18% being recycled globally. Currently, disposable sensors are used to prevent food waste, yet these sensors contribute to the electronic waste problem. The proposed printed, biodegradable sensors will enhance scientific and technological understanding to move from disposable to on-demand biodegradable sensors. The market opportunity addressed by the proposed technology is over $300 billion in the food supply chain and even larger in the broader perishable markets. The technological shift to printed, biodegradable sensors will provide a competitive advantage compared to other companies that are using disposable or semi-recyclable materials. This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project involves the development of carbon-based, printable, electronic materials to produce a biodegradable sensing platform for measuring temperature and humidity. The proliferation of electronic sensors continues to provide access to transformative data, improving health, the environment, and transportation. However, resultant electronic sensor waste is a critical concern that precludes use for certain applications. This project will use graphene for conducting, carbon nanotubes for semiconducting, and crystalline nanocellulose for insulating inks that can be printed into temperature and humidity sensors on a thin film of cellulose (i.e., paper). Technical obstacles include the co-integration of these all-carbon inks, realization of target electrical properties, and yield of functional sensors. The goals of this project include: (1) the formulation of nanomaterial inks for their co-printing onto biodegradable substrates; (2) the development of aerosol jet printing processes; and (3) the demonstration of temperature and humidity sensors from the printed carbon-based nanomaterials. To achieve these goals, innovations in the formulation of these carbon-based inks will be required, along with the design of sensor configurations that yield reliable temperature and humidity measurements. More than a dozen distinct sensor designs will be explored, and iterative tuning of ink and sensor designs will take place. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.