Electronics Materials: From Vectors to Circles

Electronics has grown rapidly, driven largely by the industry’s ability to deliver ever-increasing computing power in smaller, more creative packages.  Electronics products are global and vast in number, even when compared to the growing world population.  At the same time, the demand for more complex electronic materials has grown to a point where two thirds of the Periodic Table elements are used in varying amounts to produce them. To cope with these demands and move beyond the linear vectors of change, a more circular approach is needed to the use of materials. 

A 14-minute video, “Electronics Materials: From Vectors to Circles” by Roger L. Franz, a longtime leader in electronics and materials technologies and IPC Thought Leaders Program member, highlights the existing knowledge, standards, and assessment tools that are available to meet this challenge. Some seeds of novel new approaches to material selection are provided that may help us grow a sustainable future.  View video.