Copper recovery from waste printed circuit boards concentrated metal scraps by electrolysis

Highlights

WPCBs concentrated metal scraps were directly and successfully recycled by electrolysis.

Factors that affect the electrolysis were discussed in detail.

Copper recovery rate and copper purity are up to 97.32% and 99.86% respectively.

Abstract

Copper recovery is the core of waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs) treatment. In this study, we proposed a feasible and efficient way to recover copper from WPCBs concentrated metal scraps by direct electrolysis and factors that affect copper recovery rate and purity, mainly CuSO₄·5H₂O concentration, NaCl concentration, H₂SO₄ concentration and current density, were discussed in detail. The results indicated that copper recovery rate increased first with the increase of CuSO₄·5H₂O NaCl, H₂SO₄ and current density and then decreased with further increasing these conditions. NaCl, H₂SO₄ and current density also showed a similar impact on copper purity, which also increased first and then decreased. Copper purity increased with the increase of CuSO₄·5H₂O. When the concentration of CuSO₄·5H₂O, NaCl and H₂SO₄ was respectively 90, 40 and 118 g/L and current density was 80 mA/cm², copper recovery rate and purity was up to 97.32% and 99.86%, respectively. Thus, electrolysis proposes a feasible and prospective approach for waste printed circuit boards recycle, even for e-waste, though more researches are needed for industrial application.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs) / Copper / Recovery rate / Purity / Electrolysis

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Acknowledgements

This work supported by funds from the Open Project of State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base for Nonmetal Composites and Functional Materials (Nos. 11zxfk26 and 13zxfk11), Scientific Research Fund of Mianyang City (No. 14S-01-2), and Fundamental Science on Nuclear Wastes and Environmental Safety Laboratory (No. 15kffk05).

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