Researchers from the University of Maryland, Georgia Tech, and the University of Notre Dame have introduced a fully recyclable 3D‑printed PCB that dissolves in water to recover nearly all raw materials used.
Named DissolvPCB, this breakthrough replaces standard FR‑4 boards with PVA substrate and liquid metal traces (EGaIn). Once immersed in water, the board separates cleanly — allowing 99.4% of PVA and 98.6% of the conductive liquid metal to be recovered and reused.
This innovation directly targets the problem of e‑waste in electronics prototyping and offers a fast, maker‑friendly path to sustainable circuit design.
Key capabilities:
- Supports both through‑hole and SMD components
- Handles up to 5 A current and 10 MHz signals
- Comes with a FreeCAD plugin that converts KiCad files for 3D printing
- Prints can be done on any liquid metal-compatible FDM printer
If adopted widely, this tech could dramatically reduce short‑cycle PCB waste across hobbyist, educational, and R&D labs globally.
