Ecoresorbable chipless temperature-responsive tag made from biodegradable materials for sustainable IoT

James Bourely (), Nicolas Fumeaux, Xavier Aeby, Jaemin Kim, Gilberto Siqueira, Christian Beyer, David Schmid, Oleksandr Vorobyov, Gustav Nyström () and Danick Briand ()
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James Bourely: Rue de la Maladière 71b, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Soft Transducers Laboratory (LMTS)
Nicolas Fumeaux: Rue de la Maladière 71b, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Soft Transducers Laboratory (LMTS)
Xavier Aeby: Cellulose & Wood Materials Laboratory, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa)
Jaemin Kim: Rue de la Maladière 71b, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Soft Transducers Laboratory (LMTS)
Gilberto Siqueira: Cellulose & Wood Materials Laboratory, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa)
Christian Beyer: Rue Jaquet-Droz 1, CSEM SA
David Schmid: Rue Jaquet-Droz 1, CSEM SA
Oleksandr Vorobyov: Rue Jaquet-Droz 1, CSEM SA
Gustav Nyström: Cellulose & Wood Materials Laboratory, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa)
Danick Briand: Rue de la Maladière 71b, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Soft Transducers Laboratory (LMTS)

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Abstract Temperature monitoring within the cold chain, essential for safety of perishable products, typically employs devices such as battery-powered data loggers and radio-frequency identification tags. Such devices include non-eco-friendly components, posing challenges for their safe disposal and recycling. This study demonstrates the fabrication of a fully ecoresorbable, chipless, and wireless temperature-responsive tag, designed to irreversibly track temperature changes through a permanent shift in resonance frequency. The tag is printed on a customized moisture-resistant poly(β-hydroxybutyrate)-cellulose composite substrate. An RLC circuit made of printed zinc metallic traces, encapsulated with beeswax to prevent oxidation, enables seamless wireless operation. The tag utilizes bio-based phase-changing materials such as frozen olive, jojoba, and coconut oils to induce irreversible resonance frequency shifts of more than 30 MHz at respective melting points of 8 °C, 15 °C, and 25 °C. A cellulose capillary element efficiently absorbs the melted oil, enabling reliable operation at inclinations from 0° to 90°. At the end of its service life, the device can undergo disintegration in a compost environment within 9 weeks. This work demonstrates a sustainable chipless technology from material selection and manufacturing processes to end-of-life disposal as an advanced thermal indicator solution for cold chain temperature-excursion detection.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-65458-9

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