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speaker

Mrs. Emily BEZERRA

Position
Junior Scientist at the Advanced Sensor and Electronics Technologies at SAL
Entity:
Silicon Austria Labs (SAL)
Country:
Switzerland

Theme: Eco-Conscious Printed Sensors on Algae-based and Cellulose Substrates for Health and Environmental Monitoring

Short CV

Emily Bezerra Alexandre obtained her BSc. in Materials Engineering and Materials Science from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (Brazil) in 2020. She then pursued an MSc. in Materials Science and Engineering at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia, where her research focused on ultra flexible and stretchable 3D-printed electronic skin for tactile sensing, robotics, and extended reality.
In 2022, she joined Silicon Austria Labs (SAL) as a Junior Scientist, where she co-directs the Center of Excellence for Additive Manufacturing of Integrated Systems. At SAL, her work bridges academia and industry, driving the development of eco-conscious printed electronics using sustainable materials, green ink formulations, and aerosol jet printing for health and environmental monitoring applications. She has contributed to multiple EU-funded projects, coordinating interdisciplinary MS students to design recyclable and low-waste electronic platforms.
Currently, Emily is pursuing her PhD in Electrical Engineering at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), under the supervision of Prof. Sandro Carrara and co-supervision of Dr. Jürgen Kosel. Her doctoral research focuses on circular inks, biosourced substrates, and green processing methods for sustainable printed sensors.

 

Abstract

The growing issue of electronic waste (e-waste) has driven the need for sustainable and environmentally friendly approaches in electronics manufacturing. This work focuses on the development of metal-free sensors on biosourced substrates for healthcare and environmental monitoring, addressing the urgent need to reduce the environmental footprint of disposable electronics. By employing bio-based substrates, such as agar derived from red algae and biodegradable cellulose, along with eco-friendly materials like carbon-based electrodes and the conducting polymer PEDOT:PSS, these devices offer a sustainable alternative to traditional electronics that rely on non-degradable plastics and toxic metals.
In the healthcare domain, an all-carbon glucose monitoring sensor was printed on an algae-based substrate. The sensor demonstrated accurate electrochemical detection of glucose within blood physiological ranges, with minimal interference from other biological species, ensuring reliable performance. This offers a promising solution for affordable, disposable health monitoring devices that minimize e-waste. For environmental applications, aerosol jet printing was used to fabricate semi-transparent humidity and temperature sensors on biodegradable cellulose substrates, capable of detecting changes with features as small as 13 µm.
These fully printed, eco-friendly sensors mark a significant step toward sustainable electronics by reducing reliance on harmful materials and promoting biodegradable options. Such innovations not only support environmental monitoring and healthcare applications but also contribute to global efforts to minimize the impact of e-waste, offering a blueprint for the next generation of green electronics.