Andreas Bilicki

In recent years we have seen a progressive switch from mechanical fasteners to adhesives in high-end portable technological devices like smartphones and tablets. This has been driven by smaller and sleeker form factors in these products as they developed more intuitive touch interfaces, however this switch has also made them hard to disassemble for repair or recycling. It is estimated that the reason that more than half of these devices are thrown away is broken screens. These are problematic to repair/replace because of the adhesive used to bond screens to the main body of the product. Less than 20 per cent are recycled and it is estimated that there are several billion dollars worth of materials ‘lost’ in landfill.

F-Tape proposes the use of a reversible adhesive in high-end portable technology devices to allow for disassembly. Imagine being able to apply a simple tape to different electronic components of a product with the certainty of being able to separate them at end of life, for repairs or even for upgrades. F-Tape would allow for better bonding and separation of components in a world where wearable devices and the internet of things are becoming a reality.