LG Innotek Creates Low-Emission Next-Gen Smart IC Substrate

LG Innotek Co., a leading South Korean electronics parts manufacturer, announced on Wednesday that it has developed a next-generation smart integrated circuit (IC) substrate that reduces carbon emissions during production by nearly 50% compared to existing products, Azernews reports, citing Yonhap agency.

Smart IC substrates are crucial components used to mount IC chips that store personal security data in credit cards, electronic passports, and smartphone USIM (universal subscriber identity module) cards.

LG Innotek said the new substrate eliminates the need for precious-metal plating by using a newly developed high-performance material. As a result, the product can cut annual carbon emissions by 8,500 tons-equivalent to planting around 1.3 million trees. The company also noted that the substrate's durability has been improved about threefold.

The company began mass production in November for a major global smart-card manufacturer. LG Innotek has already secured around 20 domestic patents for the technology and plans to register additional patents in the United States, Europe, and China.

Experts say innovations like this could transform the electronics manufacturing industry, proving that sustainability and high-tech performance can go hand in hand. Some environmental advocates have jokingly suggested that, if widely adopted, this single product could make future electronics“green from the inside out.”

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