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Waste Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Recycling Techniques

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Abstract

With the development of technologies and the change of consumer attitudes, the amount of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is increasing annually. As the core part of WEEE, the waste printed circuit board (WPCB) is a dangerous waste but at the same time a rich resource for various kinds of materials. In this work, various WPCB treatment methods as well as WPCB recycling techniques divided into direct treatment (landfill and incineration), primitive recycling technology (pyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy, biometallurgy and primitive full recovery of NMF-non metallic fraction), and advanced recycling technology (mechanical separation, direct use and modification of NMF) are reviewed and analyzed based on their advantages and disadvantages. Also, the evaluation criteria are discussed including economic, environmental, and gate-to-market ability. This review indicates the future research direction of WPCB recycling should focus on a combination of several techniques or in series recycling to maximize the benefits of process.

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Abbreviations

EEE:

Electrical and electronic equipment

WEEE:

Waste electrical and electronic equipment

PCB:

Printed circuit board

WPCB:

Waste printed circuit board

MF:

Metallic fraction of printed circuit board or waste printed circuit board

NMF:

Non-metallic fraction of printed circuit board or waste printed circuit board

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong SAR, Hong Kong

    Chao Ning, David Chi Wai Hui & Gordon McKay

  2. School of Energy and Environment, The City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Hong Kong SAR, Hong Kong

    Carol Sze Ki Lin

  3. College of Science and Engineering, Hamad bin Khalifa University, Education City, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar

    Gordon McKay

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  1. Chao Ning
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  2. Carol Sze Ki Lin
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  3. David Chi Wai Hui
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  4. Gordon McKay
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Correspondence to Gordon McKay.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection “Chemistry and Chemical Technologies in Waste Valorization”; edited by Carol Sze Ki LIN.

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Ning, C., Lin, C.S.K., Hui, D.C. et al. Waste Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Recycling Techniques. Top Curr Chem (Z) 375, 43 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41061-017-0118-7

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