Determination of metallic and polymeric contents in electronic waste materials and evaluation of their hydrometallurgical recovery potential

The sustainable development of electronic and electrical industries involves not just mere effective utilization of energy at all stages of production, but also involves the recycling of end-of-life electric and electronic components. Rapid development in manufacturing technologies, together with increased consumer demand, has revolutionized societal investments in infrastructures for the rapid growth of global commerce. Nevertheless, the shortening of life expectancy, pushed by fast innovation, miniaturization, and value, has resulted in a significant accumulation of electronic waste (e-waste), causing increasing environmental concerns. This study gives a detailed insight into the recycling potential of different categories of e-waste. The standard sieve method was used to screen the shredded materials, and the Rosin–Rammler model was used to evaluate the particle size distributions. The wt% Cu in user scrap was the highest with 34.6% and was observed that the Cu content was reduced with the decreasing particle size. Au and Ag contents were not as high in user scrap, but it was found to be several times higher in laptop shred (Au) and in the motherboard shred (Ag). Identified peaks indicate the existence of polymers such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), high-density polystyrene (HIPS), polycarbonate (PC), and poly(p-phenylene oxide) (PPC). TGA analysis indicated that maximum wt% loss occurs at the temperature range of 285–290 °C, which corresponds to the degradation of commonly found polymers, analyzed from FTIR analysis. SEM micrographs of the different shredded scraps indicated that the material is heterogeneous and fibrous with particles of varying shapes, sizes, and texture.