Paper or plastic? As environmentally savvy readers know, the more eco-friendly answer is almost always paper nowadays. That's why it's encouraging that a research team at Auburn University recently found a solution for farmers to replace plastic sensors that measure temperature and humidity with a paper device.
The Journal of Laser Applications published the team's findings, and they summarized their results in a news release. The researchers were looking for a better solution for farmers storing food in greenhouses and open farms for customers to purchase. Smart sensor technology allows farmers to monitor conditions, which is growing in importance due to increasing climate challenges.
According to study author Masoud Mahjouri-Samani, those obstacles are "driving the urgency for innovative solutions to enhance productivity and improve quality with minimal environmental impact."
Fortunately, sensors and electronics are cheap and easy to manufacture. The problem arises in that the print technologies of these devices "include methods such as aerosol-jet printing, inkjet printing, gravure printing, and screen printing," per the news release.
The liquid nature of those technologies lends itself to printing on nonbiodegradable plastic. The researchers identified paper as a superior alternative, given its biodegradability and wide availability. Its fibers also provide a receptive surface. To enable the paper to detect humidity and temperature changes, the team used a method known as dry additive nanomanufacturing.
It included forming sensors by printing silver lines on multiple types of paper. Farmers can observe changes in relative humidity and temperature by monitoring changes in the silver lining's capacitance, or its ability to store energy. When the paper absorbs water vapors, they can measure humidity by analyzing the capacitance change. Meanwhile, when the temperature goes up or down, the metallic conductor's resistance moves accordingly.
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The scientists' paper sensors successfully and reliably measured changes in temperature from 25 to 50 degrees Celsius (77 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit), as well as from relative humidity levels ranging from 20-90%. They also delivered on the eco-friendly and practical front, as they were low-cost and could be reused. When it was time to replace them, they could be disposed of safely.
The Auburn team's clever solution is one of numerous efforts to take on the use of plastic in agriculture. While the demand for better monitoring crops is rising, finding ways to use real-time devices like sensors can lead to more reliance on plastic. In the long run, overuse of plastic is bad news for agriculture.
That could be due to the plastic that ends up in methane-producing landfills, contributing to the warming of the planet. It also could be due to plastic production that inevitably produces pollution, and could go on indefinitely if recycling is ineffective. Another factor could be leaking microplastics that can get into soil and affect crop yields.
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The scientists at Auburn touted their paper-based solution as a key cog in these efforts.
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"This research combines functionality with environmental responsibility," concluded Mahjouri-Samani. "This approach offers the potential to revolutionize smart agricultural practices by enabling precise monitoring of key factors in plant growth."
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