Research on pyrolysis of PCB waste with TG-FTIR and Py-GC/MS

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

48 Scopus citations

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine the pyrolysis characteristics and gas product properties of printed circuit board (PCB) waste. For this purpose, a combination of Thermogravimetry-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrum (TG-FTIR) and pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) techniques is employed. In the TG-FTIR experiment, a heating rate of 10 °C min -1 and a terminal pyrolysis temperature of 600 10 °C are applied. The thermal decomposition temperature, weight losses, and the temperature trend of evolving gaseous products of PCB waste are investigated. Py-GC/MS is used for the qualitative and semi-quantitative analysis of the higher-molecularweight volatile decomposition products. Associated with the analysis results of TG-FTIR and Py-GC/MS for the volatile products, PCB waste degradation could be subdivided into three stages. The main products in the first stage (<293 10 °C) are H2O, CH4, HBr, CO2 and CH 3COCH3. High-molecularweight organic species, including bromophenols, bisphenol A, p-isopropenyl phenol, phenol, etc., mainly evolve in the second stage. In the last stage, at temperature above 400 10 °C, carbonization and char formation occur. This fundamental study provides a basic insight of PCB waste pyrolysis.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1463-1470
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry
Volume110
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2012

Keywords

  • Printed circuit board waste
  • Py-GC/MS
  • Pyrolysis
  • TG-FTIR

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Research on pyrolysis of PCB waste with TG-FTIR and Py-GC/MS'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this