More environmentally-friendly optoelectronics components could be made possible through a new method for screening molecules to predict how certain materials will contribute to global warming.
The study, which is scheduled to be published in the American Chemical Society's Journal of Physical Chemistry A in November, saw scientists analyse more than a dozen molecules to discover which chemical and physical properties are most important in determining their inherent radiative efficiency.
They discovered that molecules containing several fluorine atoms tend to be strong greenhouse gases compared with those containing chlorine or hydrogen.
It is hoped the results of the study could be applied to the design of a broad range of products, from consumer electronics to more environmentally friendly optoelectronic components.
Last year, researchers in Romania and Turkey developed an efficient method for recycling printed circuit boards into environmentally-friendly raw materials for use in fuel, plastics and other consumer products.