Vanishing Soft Electronics: Degradation Mechanisms of Transient Materials

Abstract

The rapid increase in electronic waste, coupled with the emerging demand for soft electronics, necessitates sustainable solutions. Transient soft electronics, designed to degrade after use, offer a promising pathway to address this issue. This review explores transient soft electronics from a degradation mechanism of transient dielectrics materials perspective, focusing on three primary degradation mechanisms: water-driven, organic solvent-driven, and bio-driven. The degradation processes for each mechanism will be discussed, and representative research in each area will be showcased. Additionally, the review will highlight the challenges associated with transient soft electronics in each category. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Korean Institute of Chemical Engineers, Seoul, Korea 2024.