Glossary

BioPCB

Printed Circuit Boards (PCB) are used to mechanically support and electrically interconnect electronic components. They are generally composed of copper sheets laminated onto an insulating substrate. This insulator is often made from epoxy resin and glass fibers. These materials are not recyclable and represent a significant part of the electronic waste, which is exponentially increasing all around the world. BioPCB overcomes this issue by substituting these polluting and energy consuming non-renewable ressources by biopolymers and natural textiles, coming from agricultural by-products that can be recycled or degraded in the environment.

Bioleaching

Bioleaching is the extraction of metals from sulfide ores or concentrates using materials native to the environment: water, air and microorganisms. It is the leaching of sulfide minerals that distinguishes bioleaching from conventional acid leaching, where only oxidized minerals are leached. For the recovery of critical metals, bioleaching represents an interesting alternative in comparison with classical pyrometallurgy or hydrometallurgy which are energy consuming and polluting.

Critital Metals (CM)

Critical Metals: A metal is said to be critical according to its supply-side risk and the vulnerability of the economy to its potential shortage.
Critical Raw Materials (CRM), for instance, are raw materials of high economical importance for the EU which also have a high risk of supply disruption, as they do not have good enough substitues (see here)

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

In our project, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is the systematic analysis of PCBs environmental impacts during its whole life cycle (production, distribution, use and end-of-life phases). This includes the upstream and downstream processes associated with these phases, and the inputs from the environment as well as emissions into water, air, and soil. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) gives guidelines and requirements for an LCA (ISO 14040 and 14044).

Flame Retardant (FR)

A chemical substance added to PCB materials during their manufacturing process to resist burning and slow down combustion.