A new development will allow creating electronic devices that are destroyed under the influence of high air humidity. Physically unstable electronics (physically transient electronics) can solve many different tasks. For example, "soluble" structures are used for environmental monitoring or point-to-point delivery of drugs to certain organs. These gadgets are destroyed much faster than the usual electronic devices, so less pollute the environment.
 
A group of American and Chinese scientists presented devices that rapidly decompose under the influence of air humidity. The basis of the technology became polyanhydrides. At a certain humidity level, these polymers break down at room temperature.
 
Developers tested several types of electronic devices, including transistors and electric capacitors. To accelerate the process of decomposition of parts, they covered with a thin film, created on the basis of several polymers, including polyanhydride and polyethylene glycol diacrylate. When the air humidity reaches a certain level, the process of hydrolysis of the polyanhydride begins. The polymer film is destroyed, then corrosion destroys the metal components of the part.

 According to scientists, their development will create electronic devices with a certain "shelf life". It can be controlled by changing the composition of the polymer film. This technology will reduce the level of environmental pollution: when the device fails or simply stops using it, it can be "dissolved" by placing it under high humidity conditions.