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Würth Elektronik Circuit Board Technology, the Institute for Materials Science at the University of Stuttgart and Hahn-Schickard have launched the Cellutronik research project to develop bio-based circuit carriers for future electronic applications.
The project, which began in November 2025 and is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space, focuses on bacterial cellulose as an alternative substrate for printed circuit boards.
Bacterial cellulose can be produced through microorganisms using agricultural by-products such as potato peels or okara. The resulting material can then be processed into stable, sheet-like substrates suitable for further electronic manufacturing steps.
The project aims to assess whether this material could reduce dependence on conventional petroleum-based PCB substrates while supporting more resource-efficient electronics production.
The Institute for Materials Science at the University of Stuttgart is responsible for developing the synthesis processes used to produce the cellulose fibres.
Würth Elektronik is contributing its PCB manufacturing expertise to evaluate how established production methods can be adapted to the new substrate. A central objective is to determine whether the material can be integrated into industrial processes rather than remaining limited to laboratory use.
Hahn-Schickard is developing additive manufacturing processes for the project. Copper and silver inks are applied directly to the cellulose substrate using digital printing technologies.
This approach places conductive material only where it is required, which could reduce material consumption, production waste and processing time. It may also provide greater design flexibility compared with conventional subtractive PCB manufacturing.
The project partners report that both the cellulose substrates and the printed conductive structures are solderable, allowing electronic components to be mounted using established assembly methods.
At the end of the project, the consortium plans to produce a multilayer PCB demonstrator based on bacterial cellulose and digitally printed conductive structures.
The demonstrator will be used to assess the technological feasibility and industrial potential of the concept. Further validation will be required before the material can be considered for demanding applications such as vehicle electronics, including testing for moisture resistance, thermal stability, vibration, flammability and long-term durability.
For commercial vehicle manufacturers and component suppliers, the project illustrates how bio-based materials and additive manufacturing could influence the future design and production of electronic systems.
