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In the last decades, the demand for electronics and, therefore, electronic waste, has increased. To reduce this electronic waste and the impact of this sector on the environment, it is necessary to develop biodegradable systems using naturally produced materials with low impact on the environment or systems that can degrade in a certain period. One way to manufacture these types of systems is by using printed electronics because the inks and the substrates used are sustainable. Printed electronics involve different methods of deposition, such as screen printing or inkjet printing. Depending on the method of deposition selected, the developed inks should have different properties, such as viscosity or solid content. To produce sustainable inks, it is necessary to ensure that most of the materials used in the formulation are biobased, biodegradable, or not considered critical raw materials. In this review, different inks for inkjet printing or screen printing that are considered sustainable, and the materials that can be used to formulate them, are collected. Printed electronics need inks with different functionalities, which can be mainly classified into three groups: conductive, dielectric, or piezoelectric inks. Materials need to be selected depending on the ink’s final purpose. For example, functional materials such as carbon or biobased silver should be used to secure the conductivity of an ink, a material with dielectric properties could be used to develop a dielectric ink, or materials that present piezoelectric properties could be mixed with different binders to develop a piezoelectric ink. A good combination of all the components selected must be achieved to ensure the proper features of each ink.

Poly (3,4‐ethylene dioxythiophene) (PEDOT) is an electrically conductive polymer that shows various promising applications in flexible electronics. However, previous studies have mostly focused on enhancing the conductivity, while ignoring the design and development of porous PEDOT materials. Herein, we report a novel and sustainable strategy of utilizing a deep eutectic solvent of ferric chloride hexahydrate/acetamide to guide the interface‐controlled polymerization of PEDOT at room temperature. The obtained PEDOT material has its unique features of high porosity of 70.61%, high specific surface area of >58 m2/g, and ideal electrical conductivity of 6500 S/m, resulting in a wide voltage window of up to 1.2 V. Notably, this porous PEDOT can be easily formulated into printable electronic ink with controllable rheological properties, process ability, and recyclability, exhibiting the outstanding energy storage behavior in wearable electronics. This study reports an effective, green approach for the development of porous PEDOT materials and printable flexible devices. Porous poly (3,4‐ethylene dioxythiophene) (PEDOT) is realized via the interface‐controlled polymerization strategy in designed deep eutectic solvent (DES) system. The porous PEDOT combines high porosity of 70.61%, high specific surface area of >58 m2/g, and excellent electrical conductivity of 6500 S/m. Meanwhile, this porous PEDOT modulated to be electronic ink exhibits a high voltage window and ideal electrochemical properties in flexible electronics.

In this paper, the authors identify the existence of container imbalance that occurs in different types of ports, depending on the type of inbound and outbound cargo they serve. The authors further analyze international trade realities and maritime companies’ requirements and identified inefficiencies. A comprehensive review of the relevant container regulations and identification standards is performed. Based on their findings, a paradigm change is proposed in the form of a modular container solution that uses disruptive digital technologies to ensure dynamic container identification (numbering) that can be exploited to overcome such inefficiencies. The technical requirements for coupling and decoupling operations are identified, along with detailed analysis of the requirements for embedded electronic components. Considering the strict container data exchange rules, the required changes in global container tracking systems are identified and explained. Coupling, decoupling, and serial number assignment procedures are proposed along with analysis of the measured lead times. Modularization and dynamic smart numbering are identified as viable disruptive technologies to address the global container imbalance. The authors contribute to the existing research on maritime transport sustainability by proposing a modular container solution, exploiting disruptive digital technologies, and clearly defining the prerequisites for the global introduction of the solution as a part of the digital transformation portfolio of involved stakeholders managing global container movements.

Electrophoretic display (EPD) is a popular display technology in recent years. The core of the EPD is electrophoretic particles, and its Zeta potential has an important impact on EPDs. In this work, a method using pyrrolidine mono ionic liquid was proposed to improve the Zeta potential of electrophoretic particles: Copper (II) phthalocyanine pigment was modified with mono ionic liquid 1-Butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bromide. The characterization results show that the mono ionic liquid had been successfully coated on pigment particles. At the same time, the dispersion and stability of particles were improved. The modified Copper (II) phthalocyanine pigment could be stably dispersed in tetrachloroethylene for more than 20 days. The Zeta potential increased from 32.42 mV to 49.91 mV, increasing by 53.95%. Finally, the prepared blue electrophoretic particles were compounded with white titanium dioxide to prepare blue and white dual-color electrophoretic dispersion, and then an EPD cell was designed to test its performance. The results show that the prepared electrophoretic dispersion can realize reversible reciprocating motion. Therefore, because of the unique structure and properties of pyrrolidine mono ionic liquids, the blue nanoparticles prepared with pyrrolidine ionic liquids as charge control agents in this study can be used as excellent candidate materials for EPD.

Background: Display signage is ubiquitous and essential in hospitals to serve several clerical, operational, and clinical functions, including displaying notices, providing directions, and presenting clinical information. These functions improve efficiency and patient engagement, reduce errors, and enhance the continuity of care. Over time, signage has evolved from analog approaches such as whiteboards and handwritten notices to digital displays such as liquid crystal displays, light emitting diodes, and, now, electronic ink displays. Electronic ink displays are paper-like displays that are not backlit and show content by aligning microencapsulated color beads in response to an applied electric current. Power is only required to generate content and not to retain it. These displays are very readable, with low eye strain; minimize the emission of blue light; require minimal power; and can be driven by several data sources, ranging from virtual servers to electronic health record systems. These attributes make adapting electronic ink displays to hospitals an ideal use case. Objective: In this paper, we aimed to outline the use of signage and displays in hospitals with a focus on electronic ink displays. We aimed to assess the advantages and limitations of using these displays in hospitals and outline the various public-facing and patient-facing applications of electronic ink displays. Finally, we aimed to discuss the technological considerations and an implementation framework that must be followed when adopting and deploying electronic ink displays. Methods: The public-facing applications of electronic ink displays include signage and way-finders, timetables for shared workspaces, and noticeboards and bulletin boards. The clinical display applications may be smaller form factors such as door signs or bedside cards. The larger, ≥40-inch form factors may be used within patient rooms or at clinical command centers as a digital whiteboard to display general information, patient and clinician information, and care plans. In all these applications, such displays could replace analog whiteboards, noticeboards, and even other digital screens. Results: We are conducting pilot research projects to delineate best use cases and practices in adopting electronic ink displays in clinical settings. This will entail liaising with key stakeholders, gathering objective logistical and feasibility data, and, ultimately, quantifying and describing the effect on clinical care and patient satisfaction. Conclusions: There are several use cases in a clinical setting that may lend themselves perfectly to electronic ink display use. The main considerations to be studied in this adoption are network connectivity, content management, privacy and security robustness, and detailed comparison with existing modalities. Electronic ink displays offer a superior opportunity to future-proof existing practices. There is a need for theoretical considerations and real-world testing to determine if the advantages outweigh the limitations of electronic ink displays.

Growth of helical carbon coils can be achieved by sputtered Inconel® 600 films on silicon (Si) substrates followed by thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) using acetylene as a carbon source along with the injection of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). The coils were used to prepare electronic ink for fabrication of flexible room temperature gas sensors. The ink as a sensing film was deposited onto silver-screen printed plastic substrates using a droplet coating technique. Before dripping the sensing film, the coils were purified using oxidation and acid treatments. The purified coils were then dispersed in different solvents such as deionized water (DI water), ethanol and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) for comparisons. The performance of sensors was investigated for its response to ammonia (NH3) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including ethanol, methanol, and dimethylformamide (DMF) in concentration of 1000 ppm at room temperature. Because the baseline resistance of sensor falls within the working range (i.e. kΩ), the coils dispersed in DI water are performed to show the highest selectivity and sensitivity to NH3. The sensing mechanism of helically coiled carbon gas sensors has been also discussed based on the reducing reaction process between NH3 and chemisorbed oxygen on the surface of purified carbon coils.

A new coloured polymer particle was prepared, in which chromophoric groups were introduced onto the surface of the polymer particle for use in electronic ink. The structure, morphology and thermal stability of polymer electrophoretic particles were characterized using FTIR, solid state 13C-NMR, SEM and TGA. Electrophoretic mobility measurements proved that the polymer particles had negative charges in the electrophoretic dispersion medium. Electronic ink microcapsules containing the polymer particles were prepared by coacervation. The polymer particles had a reversible electric response in the microcapsules under a DC electric field.

A microcapsule containing titanium dioxide (TiO^sub 2^) and halocarbon oil was synthesized via an in situ polymerization using urea, melamine, and formaldehyde (UM/F) as a wall material to examine its potential application as a microcapsule-based electronic ink display technique. Poly(sodium styrene sulfonate) was used as an anionic polymeric surfactant to stabilize a droplet of the suspension, and easily combined with the UM/F prepolymer through ionic adsorption. The microcapsules obtained had an average diameter and wall thickness of approximately 50 μm and 500 nm, respectively. The electrophoretic TiO^sub 2^ particles in the microcapsules responded to electric fields with a response time of few seconds.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]

The typical method of instruction in economics is chalk and talk. Economics courses often require writing equations and drawing graphs and charts, which are all best done in freehand. Unlike static PowerPoint presentations, tablet computers create dynamic nonlinear presentations. Wireless technology allows professors to write on their tablets and project their notes to students while walking around their classrooms. Professors can save their handwritten notes with narration and distribute them electronically. This short article introduces economics professors to some ways in which they can use tablets to enhance their teaching.

This paper provides a brief review of the various paths undertaken in the development of an inkjet printing. Highlights of recent progress and trends in this technology are discussed. Finally, the article presents potential inkjet technology applications that have emerged in the past few years.