title: Eco-friendly copper recovery process from waste printed circuit boards using Fe³⁺/Fe²⁺ redox system.
abstract: The present study aimed at developing an original and environmentally friendly process for the recovery of copper from waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs) by chemical dissolution with Fe(3+) combined with the simultaneous electrowinning of copper and oxidant regeneration. The recovery of copper was achieved in an original set-up consisting of a three chamber electrochemical reactor (ER) connected in series with a chemical reactor (CR) equipped with a perforated rotating drum. Several experiments were performed in order to identify the optimal flow rate for the dissolution of copper in the CR and to ensure the lowest energy consumption for copper electrodeposition in the ER. The optimal hydrodynamic conditions were provided at 400 mL/min, leading to the 75% dissolution of metals and to a low specific energy consumption of 1.59 kW h/kg Cu for the electrodeposition process. In most experiments, the copper content of the obtained cathodic deposits was over 99.9%.
authors: Babeş-Bolyai University, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, 11 Arany Janos Street, Cluj-Napoca RO-400028, Romania.
authors: Szabolcs
authors: S
authors: Fogarasi
authors: Babeş-Bolyai University, Interdisciplinary Research Institute on Bio-Nano-Sciences, 42 Treboniu Laurian Street, Cluj-Napoca RO-400271, Romania.
authors: Florica
authors: F
authors: Imre-Lucaci
authors: University of Pannonia, Department of Process Engineering, Egyetem Str. 10, H-8200 Veszprém, Hungary.
authors: Attila
authors: A
authors: Egedy
authors: Babeş-Bolyai University, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, 11 Arany Janos Street, Cluj-Napoca RO-400028, Romania. Electronic address: aimre@chem.ubbcluj.ro.
authors: Árpád
authors: Á
authors: Imre-Lucaci
authors: Babeş-Bolyai University, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, 11 Arany Janos Street, Cluj-Napoca RO-400028, Romania.
authors: Petru
authors: P
authors: Ilea
mesh_terms: D002712:Chlorides / Q000737:chemistry; D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry*; D004463:Ecology; D004563:Electrochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D004566:Electrodes; D059029:Electronic Waste / Q000032:analysis*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008670:Metals / Q000737:chemistry*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry; D059027:Recycling; D012996:Solutions; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013816:Thermodynamics
chemical_list: D002712:Chlorides; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D008670:Metals; D012996:Solutions; D003300:Copper; D010100:Oxygen; C024555:ferric chloride
keywords: Copper recovery; Electrowinning; Fe(2+)/Fe(3+) redox system; Recycling process; Waste printed circuit boards