title: The reuse of nonmetals recycled from waste printed circuit boards as reinforcing fillers in the polypropylene composites.
abstract: The feasibility of reusing nonmetals recycled from waste printed circuit boards (PCBs) as reinforcing fillers in the polypropylene (PP) composites is studied by using both mechanical and vicat softening temperature (VST) tests. The concentration of Cu leaded from the composites is also tested. The mechanical test shows that both tensile and flexural properties of the nonmetals/PP composites can be significantly improved by adding the nonmetals into PP. The maximum increment of tensile strength, tensile modulus, flexural strength and flexural modulus of the PP composites is 28.4%, 62.9%, 87.8% and 133.0%, respectively. As much as 30 wt% nonmetals recycled from waste PCBs can be added in the PP composites without violating the environmental regulation. The VST test shows that the presence of nonmetals can improve the heat resistance of the nonmetals/PP composites for their potential applications. The optimum particle is the fine or medium nonmetals recycled from waste PCBs, and the optimum content of the nonmetals is 30 wt% basing on the comprehensive consideration. All the above results indicate that the reuse of nonmetals as reinforcing fillers in the PP composites represents a promising way for recycling resources and resolving the environmental pollutions.
authors.affiliation: Beijing Key Laboratory for Powder Technology Research and Development, Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yanhong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Zhigang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Chujiang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Shulin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Yushan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xing
mesh_terms: D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000379:methods*; D003300:Copper; D004581:Electronics; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D008420:Manufactured Materials; D008422:Materials Testing; D019563:Mechanics; D011126:Polypropylenes
chemical_list: D011126:Polypropylenes; D003300:Copper