December 19, 2025 by JooHyeon Heo, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology
Collected at: https://techxplore.com/news/2025-12-ultra-power-fully-biodegradable-artificial.html
In Nature Communications, a research team affiliated with UNIST present a fully biodegradable, robust, and energy-efficient artificial synapse that holds great promise for sustainable neuromorphic technologies. Made entirely from eco-friendly materials sourced from nature—such as shells, beans, and plant fibers—this innovation could help address the growing problems of electronic waste and high energy use.
Traditional artificial synapses often struggle with high power consumption and limited lifespan. Led by Professor Hyunhyub Ko from the School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, the team aimed to address these issues by designing a device that mimics the brain’s synapses while being environmentally friendly.
How the biodegradable synapse works
The result is a layered structure made from natural, biodegradable polymers that can remember information for a long time and operate with very low energy.
The device is built like a tiny sandwich, with ion-active layers separated by an ion-binding layer made from cellulose acetate—derived from plant stems—and other layers sourced from shells and beans. When electricity is applied, sodium ions—similar to natural neurotransmitters—are released inside the device.
These ions bind at the interfaces, a process called ion dipole coupling, which allows the synapse to hold onto some ions even after stimulation stops. This retention enables the device to produce cascade-like responses, supporting various forms of synaptic plasticity, including short-term and long-term memory.
Most notably, this artificial synapse can hold its memory for nearly 6,000 seconds—about 100 minutes—making it the longest-lasting biodegradable synapse reported so far.
Concept of the biodegradable multilayer artificial synapse. Credit: Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-66511-3
Energy efficiency and environmental impact
It also uses an extremely small amount of energy—just 0.85 femtojoules per signal—much less than what natural brain synapses typically need, which ranges from 2.4 to 24 femtojoules per event.
Beyond its performance, the device is fully biodegradable. Both the ion-active and ion-binding layers break down naturally within 16 days in soil, helping to reduce the growing problem of electronic waste. The materials used, like cellulose acetate and chitosan from shells, are safe for the environment and can decompose without leaving harmful residues.
Potential applications and future outlook
The team also demonstrated a practical application, which is a simple robotic system that mimics reflexes. When the device detects heat, the ion movement inside it amplifies the signal, triggering the robot’s hand to withdraw from a hot object—just like a reflex in humans.
This showcases the potential for eco-friendly robots that can learn and respond to stimuli while eventually disappearing without harming the environment.
Professor Ko emphasized, “Our work tackles some of the biggest hurdles in artificial synapse technology—ultralow power use, stability, durability, and biodegradability—all at once. It is a significant step toward developing eco-friendly neuromorphic devices that can safely interact with our environment and then seamlessly disappear.”
More information: Yoojin Chang et al, Robust biodegradable synapse with sub-biological energy and extended memory for intelligent reflexive system, Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-66511-3
Journal information: Nature Communications
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