A new strain for recovering precious metals from waste printed circuit boards

A new strain, Pseudomonas Chlororaphis (PC), was found for dissolving gold, silver, and copper from the metallic particles of crushed waste printed circuit boards (PCBs). The optimized conditions that greatly improved the ability of producing CN^? (for dissolving metals) were obtained. Dissolving experiments of pure gold, silver, and copper showed that the metals could be changed into Au⁺, Ag⁺, and Cu²⁺. PC cells and their secreta would adsorb metallic ions. Meanwhile, metallic ions destroyed the growth of PC. Dissolving experiments of metallic particles from crushed waste PCBs were performed by PC. The results indicated that 8.2% of the gold, 12.1% silver, and 52.3% copper were dissolved into solution. This paper contributed significance information to recovering precious metals from waste PCBs by bioleaching.     

Pulverization of waste printed circuit boards

A new pulverization method to reduce the volume of waste printed circuit boards is reported. About 50% of printed circuit boards with integrate circuits (ICs) could be pulverized by our method in one 20-min batch, but boards without ICs could not be pulverized. By repeating the process three times, about 95% of printed circuit boards with ICs could be made into a fine powder with particles less than 106µm. A weight-drop test was also performed to examine the strength of the printed circuit boards and clarify the mechanism of pulverization. When a weight was dropped on the solder-welding side of the board ruptures occurred more easily than when the weight was dropped on the IC-mounted side. With a heavy weight, the IC was fractured more easily when the potential energy was low. Where the stress was concentrated, two types of rupture location were found on printed circuit boards with ICs. One was where the IC was connected to the printed circuit board. The other was where the surface had undulations. It also became clear that the fracture of printed circuit boards depends on the impacting weight rather than on the potential energy.     

Recycling of printed circuit boards: ultrasound-assisted comminution and leaching for metals recovery

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - The increase of electronic equipment consumption associated makes the recycling process crucial worldwide. Use of emerging technologies for...     

Improving sustainable recovery of metals from waste printed circuit boards by the primary copper smelter process

In this paper, utilizing the existing primary copper smelter process for the recovery of metals from waste printed circuit boards (PCBs) is proposed as an alternative to the current backyard operations in developing countries. The Model for Evaluating Metal Recycling Efficiency from Complex Scraps (MEMRECS) concept is introduced as a tool for the evaluation of the eco-efficiency of metals recovery from waste PCBs. Based on the MEMRECS approach, the relative contribution of every metal fraction to the recyclability of the whole product is estimated. Thereby, gold content is identified as a key factor strongly influencing the efficiency of metals recovery from waste PCBs. Furthermore, it could be used as an indicator for the categorization of waste PCBs before feeding them into the recycling process. Finally, an integrated process is proposed to optimize the eco-efficiency of metals recovery from waste PCBs in developing countries.     

Recovery of metals from waste printed circuit boards by supercritical water pre-treatment combined with acid leaching process

Waste printed circuit boards (PCBs) contain a large number of metals such as Cu, Sn, Pb, Cd, Cr, Zn, and Mn. In this work, an efficient and environmentally friendly process for metals recovery from waste PCBs by supercritical water (SCW) pre-treatment combined with acid leaching was developed. In the proposed process, waste PCBs were pre-treated by SCW, then the separated solid phase product with concentrated metals was subjected to an acid leaching process for metals recovery. The effect of SCW pre-treatment on the recovery of different metals from waste PCBs was investigated. Two methods of SCW pre-treatment were studied: supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) and supercritical water depolymerization (SCWD). Experimental results indicated that SCWO and SCWD pre-treatment had significant effect on the recovery of different metals. SCWO pre-treatment was highly efficient for enhancing the recovery of Cu and Pb, and the recovery efficiency increased significantly with increasing pre-treatment temperature. The recovery efficiency of Cu and Pb for SCWO pre-treatment at 420 °C was 99.8% and 80%, respectively, whereas most of the Sn and Cr were immobilized in the residue. The recovery of all studied metals was enhanced by SCWD pre-treatment and increased along with pre-treatment temperature. Up to 90% of Sn, Zn, Cr, Cd, and Mn could be recovered for SCWD pre-treatment at 440 °C.     

离子液体对废旧印刷线路板中铜、锌、铅的浸出规律

以离子液体1-丁基磺酸-3-甲基咪唑三氟甲烷磺酸盐([BSO_3HMIm]OTf)为浸出剂,初步研究了WPCBs浸铜过程中锌和铅浸出率的影响因素。实验结果表明:铜、锌的浸出率随着WPCBs粒径的减小、H_2O_2溶液加入量的增大而增大,铜的浸出率随浸出温度的升高先增大后减小,锌的浸出率受浸出温度影响不大;铅的浸出率受5种因素影响不大,且总体处于较低水平。在WPCBs粒径为0.100~0.250 mm、离子液体加入量为60.0%(φ)、H_2O_2溶液加入量为7.5%(φ)、固液比为1∶15、浸出温度为50℃的条件下,铜、锌、铅的浸出率分别为99.84%,93.25%,22.46%。     

废弃印刷线路板中环氧树脂的资源化技术

印刷线路板是电子工业的基础,伴随着电子废弃物的快速增长,废弃印刷线路板的回收已经成为迫切需要研究的领域。对废弃印刷线路板中环氧树脂常用的资源化方法、物理法、热解法、超临界法及化学溶剂法等进行了介绍,并比较了几种方法的优缺点。     

Generation of copper rich metallic phases from waste printed circuit boards

The rapid consumption and obsolescence of electronics have resulted in e-waste being one of the fastest growing waste streams worldwide. Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are among the most complex e-waste, containing significant quantities of hazardous and toxic materials leading to high levels of pollution if landfilled or processed inappropriately. However, PCBs are also an important resource of metals including copper, tin, lead and precious metals; their recycling is appealing especially as the concentration of these metals in PCBs is considerably higher than in their ores. This article is focused on a novel approach to recover copper rich phases from waste PCBs. Crushed PCBs were heat treated at 1150 °C under argon gas flowing at 1 L/min into a horizontal tube furnace. Samples were placed into an alumina crucible and positioned in the cold zone of the furnace for 5 min to avoid thermal shock, and then pushed into the hot zone, with specimens exposed to high temperatures for 10 and 20 min. After treatment, residues were pulled back to the cold zone and kept there for 5 min to avoid thermal cracking and re-oxidation. This process resulted in the generation of a metallic phase in the form of droplets and a carbonaceous residue. The metallic phase was formed of copper-rich red droplets and tin-rich white droplets along with the presence of several precious metals. The carbonaceous residue was found to consist of slag and ～30% carbon. The process conditions led to the segregation of hazardous lead and tin clusters in the metallic phase. The heat treatment temperature was chosen to be above the melting point of copper; molten copper helped to concentrate metallic constituents and their separation from the carbonaceous residue and the slag. Inert atmosphere prevented the re-oxidation of metals and the loss of carbon in the gaseous fraction. Recycling e-waste is expected to lead to enhanced metal recovery, conserving natural resources and providing an environmentally sustainable solution to the management of waste products.     

Prioritizing material recovery for end-of-life printed circuit boards

The increasing growth in generation of electronic waste (e-waste) motivates a variety of waste reduction research. Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are an important sub-set of the overall e-waste stream due to the high value of the materials contained within them and potential toxicity. This work explores several environmental and economic metrics for prioritizing the recovery of materials from end-of-life PCBs. A weighted sum model is used to investigate the trade-offs among economic value, energy saving potentials, and eco-toxicity. Results show that given equal weights for these three sustainability criteria gold has the highest recovery priority, followed by copper, palladium, aluminum, tin, lead, platinum, nickel, zinc, and silver. However, recovery priority will change significantly due to variation in the composition of PCBs, choice of ranking metrics, and weighting factors when scoring multiple metrics. These results can be used by waste management decision-makers to quantify the value and environmental savings potential for recycling technology development and infrastructure. They can also be extended by policy-makers to inform possible penalties for land-filling PCBs or exporting to the informal recycling sector. The importance of weighting factors when examining recovery trade-offs, particularly for policies regarding PCB collection and recycling are explored further.     

废弃印刷线路板中材料的资源化回收利用技术

废弃印刷线路板（WPCBs）既有污染环境的一面,又有可资源化回收利用的一面.通过机械物理法、热解、超临界流体氧化和离子液体溶解等方法对其进行分离和回收金属和非金属材料.初步分选的金属需要进一步提纯以实现高附加值.而非金属材料可以用热解法、微波处理、超临界流体技术、等离子技术等技术进行产气和能量回收,也可以通过制备建筑材料或填料和其它功能村料进行物料回收.总之,对WPCBs进行适当地处理不但可以减轻环境压力,还可以变废为宝,实现资源再生利用.     

Techniques to separate metal from waste printed circuit boards from discarded personal computers

Waste printed circuit boards contain valuable metals such as Au, Pd, Ag, and Cu that can be reutilized and harmful elements such as Pb, Br, and Cr that must be removed from the viewpoint of environmental conservation. In this research, we examined a method that separates the materials from printed circuit boards contained in discarded personal computers. After cutting the printed circuit boards to a size of 20 × 20 mm, they were heated at 873 K under an Ar atmosphere to remove organic resins containing elements such as C, H, and N. After heat treatment, the printed circuit boards were crushed using a planetary ball mill and the pulverized powders were filtered. The fraction with a granularity of greater than 250 μm was separated into magnetic and nonmagnetic materials by a magnetic field. Because the fraction with a granularity of less than 250 μm contained 39 mass% of C, it was heated at 1273 K in an atmosphere of 95% Ar and 5% O₂ to allow carbon combustion to take place, followed by metal reduction processing at the same temperature in an atmosphere of 97% Ar and 3% H₂. The basicity of the resulting powder was adjusted and the powder was heated at 1773 K under an Ar atmosphere. The proposed method separated the slag and metal, and 80% of the valuable metals contained in printed circuit boards could be collected.     

Treatment of waste printed circuit board by green solvent using ionic liquid

Recycling of waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs) is an important subject not only for the protection of environment but also for the recovery of valuable materials. A feasibility study was conducted to dissolve bromine epoxy resins of WPCBs using ionic liquid (IL) of 1-ethyl-3-methylimizadolium tetrafluoroborate [EMIM(+)][BF(4)(-)] (nonaqueous green solvent) for recovering copper foils and glass fibers. Experimental results indicated that the initial delamination had seen from the cross-section of the WPCBs by mean of metallographic microscope and digital camera when WPCBs were heated in [EMIM(+)][BF(4)(-)] at 240°C for a duration of 30min. When temperature was increased to 260°C for a duration of 10min, the bromine epoxy resins of WPCBs were throughout dissolved into [EMIM(+)][BF(4)(-)] and the separations of copper foils and glass fibers from WPCBs were completed. This clean and non-polluting technology offers a new way to recycle valuable materials from WPCBs and prevent the environmental pollution of WPCBs effectively.     

Elemental analysis of printed circuit boards considering the ROHS regulations

The EU RoHS Directive (2002/95/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council) bans the placing of new electrical and electronic equipment containing more than agreed levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants on the EU market. It necessitates methods for the evaluation of RoHS compliance of assembled electronic equipment. In this study mounted printed circuit boards from personal computers were analyzed on their content of the three elements Cd, Pb and Hg which were limited by the EU RoHS directive. Main focus of the investigations was the influence of sample pre-treatment on the precision and reproducibility of the results. The sample preparation steps used were based on the guidelines given in EN 62321. Five different types of dissolution procedures were tested on different subsequent steps of sample treatment like cutting and milling. Elemental analysis was carried out using ICP-OES, XRF and CV-AFS (Hg). The results obtained showed that for decision-making with respect to RoHS compliance a size reduction of the material to be analyzed to particles ?1.5 mm can already be sufficient. However, to ensure analytical results with relative standard deviations of less than 20%, as recommended by the EN 62321, a much larger effort for sample processing towards smaller particle sizes might be required which strongly depends on the mass fraction of the element under investigation.     

废印刷线路板资源化研究进展

从废印刷线路板(WPCBs)层间热固性树脂的角度出发,将WPCBs资源化处理技术归纳为热固性树脂直接回收法、热固性树脂分解法和热固性树脂溶胀法,并对现有资源化技术进行总结,同时对将来研究方向进行了展望,为WPCBs资源化产业化发展提供参考。     

Hydrometallurgical treatment of used printed circuit boards after thermal treatment

The hydrometallurgical route of copper and tin extraction from printed circuit boards (PCB) of used personal computers after thermal pretreatment is discussed. The PCB fractions crushed and sorted into −8 + 0, −8 + 3 and −3 + 0 mm were used for the experiments. The samples were thermally pretreated at temperatures of 300, 500, 700 and 900 °C during 15, 30 and 60 min with the presence of air (burning) before the leaching process.The leaching solution of 1 M HCl and temperature of 80 °C was used for the leaching. The original as well as thermally pretreated samples were leached under these conditions.The weight losses within the range from 5% to 35% were achieved by burning depending on the burning temperature. The increase of burning temperature causes the copper extraction into solution up to 98%, while copper extraction into solution from non-burned samples was up to 6%. The opposite effect was observed in the case of the tin leaching, where the highest extraction was achieved when the original sample was leached. The increase of the burning temperature caused the lowering of the copper extraction.     

Bacterial leaching of copper,zinc, nickel and aluminum from discarded printed circuit boards using acidophilic bacteria

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - E-waste is an important secondary source of precious metals. Especially discarded printed circuit boards (PCBs) contain high concentrations of...     

Copper recovery from leach solution of waste printed circuit boards by pulse current electrodeposition

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - The copper recovery from waste printed circuit boards is of great significance to protect natural resource and environment. Direct current...     

Thiourea leaching gold and silver from the printed circuit boards of waste mobile phones

The present communication deals with the leaching of gold and silver from the printed circuit boards (PCBs) of waste mobile phones using an effective and less hazardous system, i.e., a thiourea leaching process as an alternative to the conventional and toxic cyanide leaching of gold. The influence of particle size, thiourea and Fe(3+) concentrations and temperature on the leaching of gold and silver from waste mobile phones was investigated. Gold extraction was found to be enhanced in a PCBs particle size of 100 mesh with the solutions containing 24 g/L thiourea and Fe(3+) concentration of 0.6% under the room temperature. In this case, about 90% of gold and 50% of silver were leached by the reaction of 2h. The obtained data will be useful for the development of processes for the recycling of gold and silver from the PCBs of waste mobile phones.