Thermal Transformation of Mixed E-Waste Materials into Clean SiMn/FeMn Alloys

In this paper, the use of three fractions of e-waste (i.e., glass, alkaline batteries, and developer kit) in production of clean alloys of silicomanganese (SiMn) and ferromanganese (FeMn) is verified. The need for producing high quality steels with lower impurities has put strain on manganese alloy-making industries to improve the quality of the product by tighter specifications on harmful elements, particularly sulfur and phosphorus. Commercial production of manganese alloys from ordinary ores inevitably introduces many impurities in the final metal, although in small amounts. In recent years, e-waste has turned into a global concern despite the attempts being made worldwide to tackle this critical issue. Using a blend of glass taken from monitors (GCM), the cathode part of alkaline batteries (CAB), and a developer kit (DK) (as rich sources of silicon, Mn/C, and Fe, respectively), a carbothermal process was employed at 1550 °C under argon purge at atmospheric pressure to produce clean alloys. SEM-EDS stu...