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UNIVERSITY OF BUCHAREST
FACULTY OF PHYSICS Guest
2024-11-23 17:48 |
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Conference: Bucharest University Faculty of Physics 2022 Meeting
Section: Physics and Technology of Renewable and Alternative Energy Sources
Title:
A more environmentally friendly method of recovering precious metals from printed circuit boards
Authors:
Razvan BALICA (1), Cornelia DIAC(2), Matei Tom IACOB (1,2), Bogdan Ciprian MITREA (1,2), Adriana BĂLAN (2), Ioan STAMATIN (1,2)
*
Affiliation:
1)Faculty of Physics - University of Bucharest, 077125 Bucharest – Romania
2)3Nano-SAE Research Centre, University of Bucharest, 077125 Bucharest – Romania
E-mail
razvanbalica@outlook.com
cornelia.diac@3nanosae.org
Keywords:
electrochemical recycling, recovering of electronic waste, circular economy, electrochemistry, gold,
Abstract:
Electronic waste is considered one of the largest and most harmful waste sources. Currently, precious metals are recovered from electronic components through burning, which releases toxic pollutants such as phthalates and dioxins into the environment [1]. These traditional metal recovery processes tend to create serious environmental and health problems. The currently used pyrometallurgical processes require very high temperatures to melt the components, releasing hazardous gases into the atmosphere, have high operating costs and require large amounts of energy. Hydrometallurgical techniques are more cost-effective, have more predictable results and can be easily controlled, but have the disadvantage of generating secondary wastes, most of which have serious health and environmental problems. Electrochemical processes can be used as an alternative technique for the recovery and recycling of precious metals from e-waste, being a more environmentally friendly and lower cost solution. This helps mitigate climate change by significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the production of new materials, especially metals. Recovering and recycling precious metals from e-waste can bring significant economic benefits and reduce demand for raw materials, thereby also reducing dependence on imports. In this study, our attention is on the recovery of precious metals from printed circuit boards (PCBs). PCBs have a remarkably high content of precious metals and are the main component of most electronics [2]. The state of the art shows us that precious metals can be electrochemically dissolved (3), but this method is not currently used in recycling of gold or palladium from PCBs. This work focus to develop a protocol for the electrochemical recycling of Au/Pd from PCBs, with testing of the relevant parameters: the electrolyte solutions, applied potentials, electrochemical methods, scan rate, number of cycles etc. The main purpose of the present work is to improve the understanding of the electrochemical processes which have place in dissolution of precious metals.
References:
1) PUCKETT, J., BYSTER, L., WESTERVELT, S., GUTIERREZ, R., DAVIS, S., HUSSAIN, A., DUTTA, M., The High-Tech Trashing of Asia; India, The Basel Action Network (BAN), 2002, ISBN-10 075672175X
2)NEEDHIDASAN, S., SAMUEL, M. & CHIDAMBARAM, R. Electronic waste – an emerging threat to the environment of urban India, Journal of Environmental Health Science & Engineering, 2014, Vol 12, No 36
3) DIAC, C., MAXIM, F. I., TIRCA, R., CIOCANEA, A., FILIP, V., VASILE, E., & STAMATIN, S. N., Electrochemical recycling of platinum group metals from spent catalytic converters, Metals, 2020, Vol 10, No 6, 822 p.
Acknowledgement:
This work was supported by a grant of the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitization, CNCS - UEFISCDI, project number PN-III-P1-1.1-PD-2021-0510 and TE 205/2021, within PNCDI III.
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