German researchers develop fully compostable CPU alternative

July 21, 2026 |

In Germany, team from TU Bergakademie Freiberg has now presented a fully compostable CPU alternative made from the mycelium of the Aspergillus niger fungus, a byproduct of industrial citric acid production.

Instead of disposing of this biomass waste, the team processes it into a plastic-like material through an innovative process involving molding and air-drying, resulting in a small, approximately 0.5 cm thick plate with a density of 1.23 g/cm³, comparable to the density of conventional printed circuit boards (PCBs). Using direct ink writing or a standard etching process and manual soldering, the researchers were able to deposit electronic components directly onto the fungal plates.

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Category: Research

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