Recycling of non-metallic powder from printed circuit board waste as a filler material in a fiber reinforced polymer

Rapid growth in the electricity and electronics industry in Thailand has resulted in numerous problems with electrical waste management. Printed circuit board (PCB) components contain copper in an amount of approximately 10 wt. % and approximately 90 wt. % of non-conductive substrate made from fiberglass resin. In the recycling process, after copper is physically separated from PCB, only nonmetallic powder (NMP) will be left; that needs to be properly disposed of and managed. Therefore, this study is a proposal of suitable choices for NMP management. The results showed that NMP can be disposed in hazardous waste landfill. Furthermore, NMP can be recycled as a component in fiber- -reinforced polymer (FRP) of the following composition: coarse NMP 25%, fine NMP 25%, polyester 38.8%, hardener (Butanox type) 0.6%, catalyst (cobalt type) 0.6%, styrene monomer 10%. This FRP mixed with NMP can be properly processed into an artificial wall tile product in terms of mechanical properties, manufacturing processes and conditions of use