Technical Library | 2024-09-02 17:01:54.0
A printed circuit board (PCB) is an integral component of any electronic product and is among the most challenging components to recycle. While PCB manufacturing processes undergo generations of innovation and advancement with 21st century technologies, the recycling of PCBs primarily employs 1920's shredding and separation technologies. There is a critical need for alternative PCB recycling routes to satisfy the increasing environmental demands. Previous work has developed an environmentally benign supercritical fluid process that successfully delaminated the PCB substrates and separated the PCB layers. While this work was successful in delamination of the PCB substrates, further understanding is needed to maximize the interactions between the supercritical fluid and PCB for an optimal processing scenario. As such, this research presents an exploratory study to further investigate the supercritical fluid PCB recycling process by using supercritical carbon dioxide and an additional amount of water to delaminate PCB substrates. The focus of this study is to test delamination success at low temperature and pressure supercritical conditions in comparison to the previous studies. Furthermore, material characterization methods, such as differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, are included to study the delaminating mechanisms. Results from the recycling process testing showed that the PCB substrates delaminated easily and could be further separated into copper foils, glass fibers and polymers. Surprisingly, the material characterization suggested that there were no significant changes in glass transition temperature, crosslink density, and FTIR spectra of the PCBs before and after the supercritical fluid process.
Technical Library | 2016-11-03 17:53:56.0
We present a novel method for fabricating a high-density carbon nanotube microelectrode array (MEA) chip. Vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNTs) were synthesized by microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition and thermal chemical vapor deposition. The device was characterized using electrochemical experiments such as cyclic voltammetry, impedance spectroscopy and potential transient measurements. Through-silicon vias (TSVs) were fabricated and partially filled with polycrystalline silicon to allow electrical connection from the high-density electrodes to a stimulator microchip.In response to the demand for higher resolution implants, we have developed a unique process to obtain a high-density electrode array by making the microelectrodes smaller in size and designing new ways of routing the electrodes to current sources.
Technical Library | 2024-06-28 21:22:38.0
SOMABLACK, produced by Somar Corporation, is rapidly becoming the top choice for many applications that require low to zero light reflectivity. It is a polyester-based material, mixed with black carbon to create something that both shades light and reduces reflection, while also having excellent dimensional stability. It is available in a range of options, with varying thicknesses, specular glossiness, optical density, and coatings.
Technical Library | 2008-02-04 12:13:38.0
Engineers are always striving to make a lighter, faster and stronger PCB. In order to achieve their designs, engineers must turn to alternative materials to enhance their designs. There are many materials that allow for thermal, coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and rigidity. Many times if a material enables an engineer to have CTE they will have to sacrifice thermal. Currently carbon composite laminates are being used in order to achieve an ideal PCB with thermal, CTE and rigidity with almost no weight premiums.
Technical Library | 2014-11-18 23:59:30.0
Performance degradation of packaging material is an important reason for the lifetime reduction of LED. In order to understanding the failure behavior of packaging material, silicone and phosphor were chosen to fabricate LED samples within which an aging test at 125℃ was performed. The result of online luminance measurement showed that LED samples with both silicone and phosphor had the highest luminance decay rate among all test samples because the carbonization of silicone and the consequent outgassing reduced the luminance quickly. The result of the luminance variance with test time was analyzed and an exponential decay model was developed with which the lifetime of LED under high temperature could be estimated.
Technical Library | 2022-01-26 15:26:56.0
In this work an attempt is made to improve the fracture toughness and electrical conductivity of epoxy/glass fiber based laminates by the inclusion of carbon nanotube (CNT) fillers. The fiber orientation of the epoxy/ glass fiber (GF) fabric laminates was optimized based on estimation of mechanical properties. The carboxylic acid functionalized CNTs were incorporated into epoxy matrix by ultra-sonication method. The nano filled epoxy resin was used to prepare laminates with 30/45 GF fabric orientation. The CNT content was varied and its effect on the tensile properties was determined. The fracture toughness of multiphase composites was estimated using single edge notch bend (SENB) test. The presence of CNTs improved the fracture toughness by a crack bridging mechanism. The volume resistivity of multiphase composites was found to be superior to the conventional epoxy/CNT composite. The presence of glass fabric reduces the number of inter-tube contacts contributing to the reduction in volume resistivity.
Technical Library | 2019-07-02 23:02:05.0
The introduction of lead-free solders resulted in a selection of different chemistries for solder pastes. The higher melting points of lead-free alloys required thermal heat resistant rosin systems and activators that are active at elevated temperatures. As a result, more frequent maintenance of the filtration systems is required and machine downtime is increased.Last year a different method of cleaning reflow ovens was introduced. Instead of cooling down the process gasses to condensate the residues, a catalyst was used to maintain the clean oven. Catalytic thermal oxidation of residues in the nitrogen atmosphere resulted in cleaner heating zones. The residues were transformed into carbon dioxide. This remaining small amount of char was collected in the catalyst. In air ovens the catalyst was not seen as a beneficial option because the air extracted out of the oven was immediately exhausted into the environment. When a catalyst is used in an air environment there is not only the carbon dioxide residues, but also water. When a catalyst is used in an air reflow oven the question is where the water is going to. Will it condensate in the process part of the oven or is the gas temperature high enough to keep it out of the process area? A major benefit of using a catalyst to clean the air before it is exhausted into the environment is that the air pollution is reduced dramatically. This will make environmental engineers happy and result in less pollution of our nature. Apart from this, the exhaust tubes remain clean which reduces the maintenance of air ovens.This paper will give more detailed information of catalyst systems during development and performance in production lines.
Technical Library | 2017-02-28 12:39:50.0
During the last 5 years mobile phones and other portable consumer electronics have been extremely popular and spread all over the world in different climate zones in very high volumes. At the same time the mobile phone terminal for many people has become a necessity that is brought with them in any activity they practice. These changes in user behavior have heavily changed the impact on handheld terminals from moisture, sweat, corrosive atmospheres and mechanical drop. As a result of this the requirement to solder joint reliability, corrosion stability and wear resistance are heavily increasing to keep a high reliability of the terminal.Immersion Ni/Au has been the overall dominant surface finish on Printed Wiring Boards (PWB's) for the last 10 years, but a paradigm shift to avoid use of this thin and porous surface finish is ongoing nowadays because it can’t address these challenges in a satisfactory way.In today's handheld terminals, Organic Solder Preservative (OSP) has replaced Immersion Ni/Au on solder pads. Carbon surface finish for Key- and spring contact-pads, combined with the right concept design can make use of Immersion Ni/Au unnecessary in the near future. The result will be higher reliability with less expensive and simpler processes.This paper will discuss the various considerations for choice of surface finish and results from the feasibility studies performed.
Technical Library | 2018-05-30 15:31:21.0
The aim of this research is to examine the relationship between green logistics operations and energy demand, economic growth and environmental sustainability need to make factors for relationship clearer in a panel data of 43 different countries around the globe. The study employed panel Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimates for robust inferences. The results have revealed that logistics operations consume energy and fossil fuel, while the amount of fossil fuel and non-green energy sources create significant harmful effect on the environmental sustainability and also have negative effect on economic growth. In addition, poor transport-related infrastructure and logistics service are a major contributor of CO2 and total greenhouse gas emissions. However, carbon emission damages fauna and flora, and reduces economic growth. The findings suggest that renewable energy sources and green practices can mitigate harmful effect of logistics operations on environmental sustainability and spur economic activities with greatly export opportunities in a region.
Technical Library | 2020-09-30 19:23:47.0
There is an increase in the number of optical sensors and cameras being integrated into electronics devices. These go beyond cell phone cameras into automotive sensors, wearables, and other smart devices. The applications can be lens bonding, waveguide imprinting, or other applications where the adhesive is in the optical pathway. To support these various optical applications, new materials with tailorable optical properties are required. There is often a mismatched refractive index between plastic lenses such as PC (Poly Carbonate), COP (Cyclo Olefin Polymer), COC (Cyclo Olefin Copolymer), PMMA (Poly Methyl Methacrylate), and UV curable liquid adhesive. A UV curable liquid adhesive is needed where you can alter the refractive index from 1.470 to 1.730, and maintain high optical performance as yellowness index, haze, and transmittance. This wide range of refractive index possibilities provides optimized optical design. Using particular plastic lens must consider how chemical attack is occurring during the process. Another consideration is that before the UV curable liquid adhesive is cured, chemical raw component can attack the plastic lens which then cracks and delaminates. We will also show engineering and reliability data which defined root cause and provided how optical performance is maintained under different reliability conditions.
