Feminist Hackers Create Clay PCBs from Wild Materials
Original: Clay PCB Tutorial
Why This Matters
Demonstrates sustainable electronics manufacturing using local materials instead of conflict minerals
Mz* Baltazar's Lab feminist hackspace in Vienna develops printed circuit boards using wild clay and recycled materials as alternative to conflict mineral-dependent electronics. Project reuses Arduino chips in porcelain-based PCBs.
Feminist hackspace Mz* Baltazar's Lab in Vienna created PCBs from wild clay to address conflict minerals in electronics hardware. The project reuses ATmega328P chips from malfunctioning Arduino Uno boards, designing circuits for analog/digital sensors and output control. Researchers used 3D printed stamps from recycled polypropylene filament, accounting for 5% clay shrinkage during drying and firing. Circuit tracks require 1.2mm depth for optimal function. Initially choosing porcelain for its insulating properties and role in electronic components, the team found high firing temperatures (1000°C bisque, 1200°C glazing) incompatible with ethical hardware standards. They partnered with pottery crafter Heinz Lackinger in Donnerskirchen, Austria, who uses prehistoric open wood fire techniques instead of energy-intensive kilns, firing clay in simple ground holes at his 18th-century house location.