Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1537616
JULY 2025 I PCB007 MAGAZINE 89 Jute, flax, or hemp fabrics are impregnated with a PVA-FR mixture using a belt press. The entire procedure takes about five minutes, including heating and cooling the composites. Development In developing these products over time, Jiva has worked with 50 OEM customers focused on board processing and performance for: • Notebook computing • Domestic appliances • Kitchen appliances • White goods • LED lighting • FR-4 process compatibility • Disposable electronics • Additive manufacturing The presentation highlighted four OEM product case studies using two suppliers of Soluboard lam- inates to three PCB fabricators. Summary Eventually, we will always need a suitable biode- gradable copper-clad laminate. I am particularly concerned about the trend of disposable elec- tronics, especially in the growing market of medi- cal sensors and advertising. Much work is being done to make paper more suitable for these appli- cations but if rigidity is required, then we only have paper-phenolic, CEM-1, CEM-3 and FR-2. Dispos- able electronics are not segregated and enter nor- H A P PY 'S T EC H TA L K mal trash bins. I do not know the costs of this lami- nate, but volume will lower the cost over time, and copper will become the dominating factor. My bet is on additive manufacturing and the development of carbon-nanotube metallization. The fact that the material's manufacturing is con- tinuous-conveyor and not batch-panel provides opportunities for high-frequency application, cou- pled with its lower dielectric constant, CTE, and that it is 37% lighter than FR-4. It has a lower Tg and Td, but newer plasma conformal coatings may nullify that feature. More details of the performance, reliability, and decomposition kinetics can be found in a presen- tation from the 2025 EIPC Summer Conference in Scotland. Jiva had a booth at IPC APEX EXPO 2025, and should be returning in 2026. PCB007 References 1. PwC's Second Annual State of Decarbonization —Sector Insights, May 20, 2025. Happy Holden has worked in printed circuit technology since 1970 with Hewlett-Packard, NanYa Westwood, Merix, Foxconn, and Gentex. He is a contributing technical editor with I-Connect007, and the author of Automation and Advanced Procedures in PCB Fabrication, and 24 Essential Skills for Engineers. To read past columns, click here.