Method for recycling of obsolete printed circuit boards

摘要

Processes for recycling printed wire boards using environmentally-friendly compositions, wherein electronic components, precious metals and base metals may be collected for reuse and recycling.

主权项

1. A method of recovering at least one precious metal from a printed wire board (PWB) comprising solder and at least one precious metal, said method comprising:
(a) contacting a surface of the PWB with a first composition, wherein the PWB and the first composition are in a first vessel; (b) agitating said first vessel; (c) dissolving or solubilizing the solder in the first composition, wherein the first composition selectively removes the solder relative to the at least one precious metal; (d) removing the first composition from the PWB by rinsing; (e) drying the PWB; (f) contacting the PWB with a leaching composition, wherein the PWB and the leaching composition are in a second vessel; (g) producing agitation in said second vessel; (h) dissolving or solubilizing the at least one precious metal in the leaching composition; (i) removing the leaching composition from the PWB by rinsing; and (j) recovering the at least one precious metal from the leaching composition, wherein the first composition is substantially devoid of at least one of fluoride salts, ferric salts, titanium (IV) salts, abrasive material, fluoroboric acid, and ferric nitrate.