Questions

Soluboard® is a patented, glass-fibre-free alternative to conventional FR-4 PCB laminate. It combines 68% lower assessed cradle-to-gate laminate CO₂ emissions, about 37% lower weight and competitive material economics with compatibility with established PCB fabrication equipment. Its natural-fibre and thermoplastic construction also offers a controlled hot-water separation route at end of life.

Natural cellulosic fibres with Solvanta™, Jiva’s proprietary thermoplastic polymer, and non-brominated, halogen-free flame-retardant technology. The formulation is PFAS-free. Unlike FR-4, it uses no glass-fibre reinforcement and no conventional thermoset epoxy.

Yes. We can provide the latest Technical Data Sheet, Design Guidelines and Environmental Credentials to support material selection and qualification. Contact us with your PCB design, manufacturing requirements and expected operating conditions.

Soluboard® is supplied as copper-clad laminate to established PCB fabricators. It supports etching, drilling, routing and plating with appropriate process optimisation; single-sided and two-layer PTH boards have been demonstrated. Assembly requires compatible low-temperature soldering with a peak reflow temperature of 180 °C. Jiva works with customers and supply-chain partners on prototyping, qualification and production readiness.

Soluboard® can be treated with controlled hot-water processing at about 90 °C to separate its thermoplastic binder from the natural-fibre reinforcement. This gives access to the copper and electronic components for recovery, reuse or further recycling. Outcomes depend on the PCB design and downstream recycling infrastructure.

A comparative lifecycle assessment with the University of Portsmouth reported 13.18 kg CO₂e/m² for Soluboard® laminate against about 41.69 kg CO₂e/m² for FR-4, an estimated 68% reduction for the assessed cradle-to-gate laminate. These figures are not a guaranteed saving for a finished PCB, assembled board or complete product.

Jiva supplies Soluboard® laminate to the PCB manufacturing value chain. An OEM specifies Soluboard® on its bill of materials; an approved PCB fabricator buys the laminate and manufactures the PCB for an electronics assembly partner. Jiva helps customers through design assessment, prototyping, qualification and scale-up.

We focus first on suitable high-volume ICT applications such as computer peripherals, with opportunities in lighting, medical and other electronics markets. Soluboard® currently supports single-sided and two-layer PTH designs, with low-temperature assembly. Send us your design details, operating conditions and estimated volume and we will assess suitability.

Yes. We welcome enquiries from OEMs, PCB fabricators, electronics assemblers and manufacturing partners interested in lower-carbon, glass-fibre-free materials. Contact us to discuss applications, technical requirements, prototypes or supply-chain opportunities.