Recycling printed circuit boards using swelling agent
AssigneeVestas Wind Systems A/S
InventorsMie Elholm Birkbak, Jesper Rømer Hansen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and systems for recycling a printed circuit board (PCB). The printed circuit board is exposed to a swelling agent that causes an epoxy matrix of the printed circuit board to swell and disintegrate into particles. The particles of epoxy are then separated from the printed circuit board, leaving behind reinforcing fiber and metal containing components thereof. These remaining components are separated from each other and recycled separately using suitable processes. The epoxy particles are also recovered, and may be reduced to a monomer for use in synthesizing new epoxy. The swelling agent includes a carboxylic acid, preferably formic acid, as an active ingredient.
Claims19
A method of processing a printed circuit board including an epoxy-based composite material, comprising:
- exposing the printed circuit board to a swelling agent until the epoxy has swollen sufficiently to disintegrate into swelled epoxy particles at least a portion of which are suspended in the swelling agent;
- and
- separating the swelled epoxy particles from a remaining portion of the printed circuit board,
- wherein the swelling agent includes an effective amount of at least one of formic acid and acetic acid, and separating the swelled epoxy particles from the remaining portion of the printed circuit board includes filtering the suspended particles from the swelling agent.
A method of processing a printed circuit board including an epoxy-based composite material, comprising:
- exposing the printed circuit board to a swelling agent until the epoxy has swollen sufficiently to disintegrate into swelled epoxy particles;
- separating the swelled epoxy particles from a remaining portion of the printed circuit board;
- draining the swelling agent from a processing chamber containing the printed circuit board;
- filtering the swelling agent;
- and
- returning the swelling agent to a swelling agent tank used to supply the swelling agent to the processing chamber,
- wherein the swelling agent includes an effective amount of at least one of formic acid or acetic acid.
A method of processing a printed circuit board including an epoxy-based composite material, comprising:
- exposing the printed circuit board to a swelling agent until the epoxy has swollen sufficiently to disintegrate into swelled epoxy particles;
- separating the swelled epoxy particles from a remaining portion of the printed circuit board;
- extracting a noble metal from the remaining portion of the printed circuit board by:
- exposing the printed circuit board to a noble metal solution;
- and
- extracting the noble metal from the noble metal solution,
- wherein the swelling agent includes an effective amount of at least one of formic acid or acetic acid, and the noble metal solution is one of aqua regia or a cyanide salt solution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.