title: Development of new materials from waste electrical and electronic equipment: Characterization and catalytic application.
abstract: Wastes of electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) represent an important environmental problem, since its composition includes heavy metals and organic compounds used as flame-retardants. Thermal treatments have been considered efficient processes on removal of these compounds, producing carbonaceous structures, which, together with the ceramic components of the WEEE (i.e. silica and alumina), works as support material for the metals. This mixture, associated with the metals present in WEEE, represents promising systems with potential for catalytic application. In this work, WEEE was thermally modified to generate materials that were extensively characterized. Raman spectrum for WEEE after thermal treatment showed two carbon associated bands. SEM images showed a metal nanoparticles distribution over a polymeric and ceramic support. After characterization, WEEE materials were applied in ethanol steam reforming reaction. The system obtained at higher temperature (800°C) exhibited the best activity, since it leads to high conversions (85%), hydrogen yield (30%) and H2/CO ratio (3,6) at 750°C.
authors.affiliation: Ecolife Soluções Ambientais, Manhuaçu, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química, Instituto Federal de Minas Gerais - Campus Itabirito, Itabirito, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, MG, Brazil. Electronic address: mgrosmaninho@iceb.ufop.br.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Rosmaninho
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D004560:Electricity; D059029:Electronic Waste; D004581:Electronics; D005411:Flame Retardants; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D012037:Refuse Disposal
chemical_list: D005411:Flame Retardants; D019216:Metals, Heavy
keywords: Catalysis; Ethanol; Materials characterization; Steam reforming; Waste composition; Wastes of electrical and electronic equipment