Materials Separation from Pulverized Waste Printed Circuit Boards

Pulverized waste printed circuit board powder is a complex mix of organic epoxy resin, glass fiber, and several different metals. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of separating the components of the powder and then efficiently recovering the metals by magnetic separation. The organic resin was first decomposed by pyrolysis in an inert atmosphere. The pyrolysis gas was subject to chemical analysis, and the toxic components were successfully trapped. Magnetic and nonmagnetic components in the residue were then separated by magnetic force.