Page 11 - IJAMD-1-2

International Journal of AI for
Materials and Design
Sustainable electronics using AI/ML

Figure 2. Categorization of biodegradable polymeric materials, both natural and synthetic 13
highlighting the degradability of Si nanomembrane (30 – oxide semiconductors. Among the available enormous
300 nm), polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si), amorphous silicon oxide systems (gallium oxide [Ga O , tin oxide [SnO₂],
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(a-Si), and germanium (Ge), as well as the silicon germanium indium oxide [In₂O₃], tin-doped indium oxide) and
alloys (SiGe) in physiological aqueous solutions. 23-26 fluorine-doped indium oxide), 29,30 only a few oxides have
Typically, the electronic components degradability studies been found to demonstrate good biodegradability, including
have been conducted in deionized water or simulated bio- iron oxide (Fe O ), zinc oxide (ZnO), titanium oxide (TiO ),
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3
fluids such as phosphate-buffered saline, and phosphate- tungsten oxide and magnesium oxide (MgO); wherein, ZnO
buffered solutions. Notably, the dissolution rate in Si has been widely exploited in various health monitoring
nanomembrane and a-Si is controlled by several factors device applications owing to its ease of synthesis, varied
such as solution concentration, temperature, pH, solution processability, stability, and efficient charge
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and the presence of the surrounding environment in the transfer properties. Moreover, the primary outcome of the
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solution. Elevated temperature and pH levels accelerate the degradation pathway is a metabolite that can be processed by
dissolution rates of Si nanomembranes, whereas the high the body, namely zinc hydroxide (Zn(OH) ). Besides ZnO,
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doping concentrations (10 cm ) significantly decrease the next attractive oxide that holds excellent biocompatibility
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the dissolution rate. 25,27 In fact, the different deposition is TiO , which is widely used in biosensing, drug delivery,
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techniques (electron-beam deposition, plasma-enhanced antibacterial activity, and implant applications. Notably,
chemical vapor deposition, and low-pressure chemical the addition of inorganic particles (TiO ) to a polymer
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vapor deposition) have been found to demonstrate different matrix (aliphatic polyester/clay, poly (L-lactide), poly (vinyl
dissolution rates in SiO films of 100 nm thickness. The chloride)) improves the biodegradability of composite. In
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mechanism behind the silicon dissolution behavior has been addition, the high dispersion of these nanoparticles in a
revealed using density functional theory and molecular polymer is a key factor for enhancing the performance.
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dynamics simulation tools; wherein silicon dissolution Along the same line, TiO nanoparticles have been added
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proceeds through the nucleophilic attack of silicon to different kinds of polymer matrices to improve their
surface bonds, which significantly weakens the interior degradability. Instead of the parameters mentioned earlier,
bonds of surface silicon atoms (backbonds) and thereby such as those associated with Si nanomembranes, the
increases their susceptibility to further ion attack. Similarly, degradability of oxide film is primarily influenced by
dissolution rates of poly-Si, Ge, and SiGe are greatly affected the thickness of the deposited film, playing a crucial role
by pH, temperatures, proteins, and types of ions. 3 in regulating the degradation rate. Similarly, the other
biodegradable oxides such as iron oxide (Fe O ), tungsten
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3.3.2. Metal oxides oxide, and magnesium oxide (MgO) consisting of a few tens
Beyond Si technology, conventional semiconductor of nanometers thickness slowly dissolves in deionized water,
electronics have predominantly been governed by inorganic resulting in a byproduct of hydroxide and water.
Volume 1 Issue 2 (2024) 5 doi: 10.36922/ijamd.3173