1. State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base for Nonmetal Composites and Functional Materials, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010, China 2. Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Resource Recycle, Ministry of Education, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010, China
WPCBs concentrated metal scraps were directly and successfully recycled by electrolysis.
Factors that affect the electrolysis were discussed in detail.
Copper recovery rate and copper purity are up to 97.32% and 99.86% respectively.
Copper recovery is the core of waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs) treatment. In this study, we proposed a feasible and efficient way to recover copper from WPCBs concentrated metal scraps by direct electrolysis and factors that affect copper recovery rate and purity, mainly CuSO4·5H2O concentration, NaCl concentration, H2SO4 concentration and current density, were discussed in detail. The results indicated that copper recovery rate increased first with the increase of CuSO4·5H2O NaCl, H2SO4 and current density and then decreased with further increasing these conditions. NaCl, H2SO4 and current density also showed a similar impact on copper purity, which also increased first and then decreased. Copper purity increased with the increase of CuSO4·5H2O. When the concentration of CuSO4·5H2O, NaCl and H2SO4 was respectively 90, 40 and 118 g/L and current density was 80 mA/cm2, copper recovery rate and purity was up to 97.32% and 99.86%, respectively. Thus, electrolysis proposes a feasible and prospective approach for waste printed circuit boards recycle, even for e-waste, though more researches are needed for industrial application.
Shokri A, Pahlevani F, Cole I, Sahajwalla V. Selective thermal transformation of old computer printed circuit boards to Cu-Sn based alloy. Journal of Environmental Management, 2017, 199: 7–12 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.05.028
pmid: 28521210
9
Xiu F R, Weng H W, Qi Y Y, Yu G D, Zhang Z G, Zhang F S, Chen M. A novel recovery method of copper from waste printed circuit boards by supercritical methanol process: Preparation of ultrafine copper materials. Waste Management (New York, N.Y.), 2016 , 60: 643–651
pmid: 27876566
Li J H, Duan H B, Yu K L, Liu L L, Wang S T. Characteristic of low-temperature pyrolysis of printed circuit boards subjected to various atmosphere. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 2010, 54(11): 810–815 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2009.12.011
12
Duan H B, Li J H, Liu Y C, Yamazaki N, Jiang W. Characterizing the emission of chlorinated/brominated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans from low-temperature thermal processing of waste printed circuit board. Environmental Pollution, 2012, 161(1): 185–191 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2011.10.033
pmid: 22230084
Zhu P, Fan Z Y, Lin J, Liu Q, Qian G R, Zhou M. Enhancement of leaching copper by electro-oxidation from metal powders of waste printed circuit board. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2009, 166(2–3): 746–750 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2008.11.129
pmid: 19157692
1
Zeng X L, Yang C R, Chiang J F, Li J H. Innovating e-waste management: From macroscopic to microscopic scales. Science of the Total Environment, 2017, 575: 1–5 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.09.078
pmid: 27723459
2
Tan Q Y, Dong Q Y, Liu L L, Song Q B, Liang Y Y, Li J H. Potential recycling availability and capacity assessment on typical metals in waste mobile phones: A current research study in China. Journal of Cleaner Production, 2017, 148: 509–517 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.02.036
3
Jadhav U, Su C, Hocheng H. Leaching of metals from large pieces of printed circuit boards using citric acid and hydrogen peroxide. Environmental Science and Pollution Research International, 2016, 23(23): 24384–24392 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-7695-9
pmid: 27655620
4
Yang C R, Li J H, Tan Q Y, Liu L L, Dong Q Y. Green process of metal recycling: Coprocessing waste printed circuit boards and spent tin stripping solution. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 2017, 5(4): 3524–3534 https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.7b00245
5
Kim E Y, Kim M S, Lee J C, Jeong J, Pandey B D. Leaching kinetics of copper from waste printed circuit boards by electro-generated chlorine in HCl solution. Hydrometallurgy, 2011, 107(3–4): 124–132 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hydromet.2011.02.009
6
Xia M C, Wang Y P, Peng T J, Shen L, Yu R L, Liu Y D, Chen M, Li J K, Wu X L, Zeng W M. Recycling of metals from pretreated waste printed circuit boards effectively in stirred tank reactor by a moderately thermophilic culture. Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering, 2017, 123(6): 714–721 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiosc.2016.12.017
pmid: 28319019
7
Zhang S, Li Y G, Wang R, Xu Z H, Wang B, Chen S, Chen M J. Superfine copper powders recycled from concentrated metal scraps of waste printed circuit boards by slurry electrolysis. Journal of Cleaner Production, 2017, 152: 1–6 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.03.087
15
Havlik T, Orac D, Berwanger M, Maul A. The effect of mechanical–physical pretreatment on hydrometallurgical extraction of copper and tin in residue from printed circuit boards from used consumer equipment. Minerals Engineering, 2014, 65(2): 163–171 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mineng.2014.06.004
16
Rozas E E, Mendes M A, Nascimento C A O, Espinosa D C R, Oliveira R, Oliveira G, Custodio M R. Bioleaching of electronic waste using bacteria isolated from the marine sponge Hymeniacidon heliophila (Porifera). Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2017, 329: 120–130 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2017.01.037
pmid: 28131039
17
Calgaro C O, Schlemmer D F, da Silva M D C R, Maziero E V, Tanabe E H, Bertuol D A. Fast copper extraction from printed circuit boards using supercritical carbon dioxide. Waste Management (New York, N.Y.), 2015, 45: 289–297 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2015.05.017
pmid: 26022338
18
Xiu F R, Zhang F S. Recovery of copper and lead from waste printed circuit boards by supercritical water oxidation combined with electrokinetic process. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2009, 165(1–3): 1002–1007 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2008.10.088
pmid: 19056170
19
Verma H R, Singh K K, Mankhand T R. Delamination mechanism study of large size waste printed circuit boards by using dimethylacetamide. Waste Management (New York, N.Y.), 2017, 65: 139–146 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2017.04.013
pmid: 28416085
20
Awasthi A K, Zlamparet G I, Zeng X L, Li J H. Evaluating waste printed circuit boards recycling: Opportunities and challenges, a mini review. Waste Management & Research, 2017, 35(4): 346–356 https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X16682607
pmid: 28097947
21
Ning C, Lin C S K, Hui D C W, McKay G. Waste Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Recycling Techniques. Topics in Current Chemistry, 2017, 375(2): 43 https://doi.org/10.1007/s41061-017-0118-7
pmid: 28353257
22
Madavali B, Lee J H, Jin K L, Cho K Y, Challapalli S, Hong S J. Effects of atmosphere and milling time on the coarsening of copper powders during mechanical milling. Powder Technology, 2014, 256(2): 251–256 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.powtec.2014.02.019
23
Chu Y Y, Chen M J, Chen S, Wang B, Fu K B, Chen H Y. Micro-copper powders recovered from waste printed circuit boards by electrolysis. Hydrometallurgy, 2015, 156: 152–157 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hydromet.2015.06.006
24
Wilson M A, Burt R, Lynn W C, Klameth L C. Total elemental analysis digestion method evaluation on soils and clays. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 1997, 28(6–8): 407–426 https://doi.org/10.1080/00103629709369800
25
Somasundaram M, Saravanathamizhan R, Basha C A, Nandakumar V, Begum S N, Kannadasan T. Recovery of copper from scrap printed circuit board: modelling and optimization using response surface methodology. Powder Technology, 2014, 266(6): 1–6 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.powtec.2014.06.006
26
Matsushima H, Bund A, Plieth W, Kikuchi S, Fukunaka Y. Copper electrodeposition in a magnetic field. Electrochimica Acta, 2007, 53(1): 161–166 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2007.01.043
