Tiny sensors in your phone could be made from recycled wood

Wood on the rise

Wood on the rise

American Chemical Society

Your phone relies on tiny sensors made of silicon, but soon, they might be made of wood waste instead.

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) contain tiny moving parts that can be used to detect things like acceleration and mass extremely precisely. They are found in small devices like smart phones and can also be used as part of microphones and displays.

Almost all MEMS are made of silicon and creating them requires temperatures around 1000°C and potentially hazardous chemicals like hydrofluoric acid.

Instead of silicon, Virginia Davis at Auburn University in …