The Electrochemical Recycling of Printed-Wiring-Board Etchants

The possibility of using electrolytic processing to regenerate etchants while simultaneously recovering copper used in the printed-wiring-board industry is considered for such systems as ferric chloride, acid, and ammoniacal-cupric chloride. This article discusses the cell design and anodic and cathodic processes, and concludes that the electrolytic process is ecofriendly with a minimal discharge of effluents.