Europe currently has a leading position in key digital technologies. However, functional electronics is one of several emerging digital transformation areas with no established players, but with the potential to significantly disrupt strategic sectors. Harnessing the full potential of functional electronics will enable Europe to exploit cutting-edge climate-neutral digital solutions to strengthen its leadership, and to seize on emerging opportunities by addressing existing technological gaps in multiple sectors. Functional Electronics has found application in a wide range of sectors and domains including in hybrid Integrated circuits (ICs) or flexible systems. Its global market was worth €15.4billion in 2017 and is expected to reach €37.7billion by 2023, a CAGR of 11%. Despite this growth, functional electronics can generate additional value via the adoption and implementation of new and efficient eco-design approaches at product, process, and business model levels. SusFE will advance the development of functional electronics for green and circular economy by developing a sustainable design and production platform for roll-to-roll manufacturing of the next generation of wearable and diagnostic devices that combine a SusFE toolbox of sustainable components comprising novel flexible integrated circuit (FlexIC) on polymer substrate with ultra-low power printed sensors/biosensors, and wireless communication driven by an organic and recyclable bioenzymatic fuel cell. This will lead to highly integrated and autonomously operating systems that are lightweight, environmentally sustainable, and low-cost. SusFE uses of a combination of sustainable materials and processes to deliver climate-neutral digital solutions including wound monitoring, self-blood sampling/testing and point-of-care devices.

RELIANCE project aims to design and develop smart response self-disinfectant antimicrobial nanocoatings based y a new range of smart antimicrobial nanoparticles. Such nanoparticles will consist of mesoporous silica nanoparticles with metallic copper in their structure, modified with biobased bioactive compounds: Antimicrobial peptides (AMP’s) based on protein containing waste streams, and essential oils (EOs) coming from non-edible plants. The antibacterial action of these additives will be adjusted to the specific application, according to the dosages and durability requirements. In this way, two alternatives to incorporate the bioactive compounds will be considered: - The incorporation of the biobased EO into the porous substrate, to allow a controlled release (T or pH) of the bioactive compounds to the environment, - The attachment of the AMP to the nanoparticles surface, to allow a long-term action of the bioactive compound to the environment. RELIANCE project combines contact killing and leachable antibacterial actions ascribed to the additive with the non-sticking action due to the coatings formulation, thus providing an integral holistic solution to antimicrobial problems on different surfaces. The nature of the coatings, their characteristics (hydrophobicity and surface roughness) and their application methods (direct deposition by cold-atmospheric plasma, high throughput spraying or selective digital printing) will be specifically designed to allow not only the microbial repelling action, but also the adhesion of the coatings to different substrates commonly found in our living environments, such as metals, plastics or textiles, and to maximize their durability (in terms of performance and antibacterial properties). Beyond the present-day possibilities of conventional chemicals, sustainability and eco design criteria will be considered in the selection of the bioactives, and on the development of the nanocoatings.