A cost-effective and short process for copper recovery from WPCBs of mobile phones by slurry electrolysis: Semi-scale certification

Abstract

Waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs) are considered as the most complex and valuable part of the discarded mobile phone. Alkaline slurry electrolysis is certified as an effective method to recover copper from WPCBs of mobile phones (WPCB-MPs). To promote its industrial application, 5000 mL scale trials were conducted and the results show that: Electrolysis at 30 g/L WPCB-MPs, 25 g/L Cu2+(CuSO4·5H2O), 4 mol/L NH3·H2O, 0.5 mol/L NaCl, 0.5 mol/L NH4Cl, 20 mA/cm2 and 298 K for 8 h, the current efficiency is 90.47 %, the copper recovery is 92.04 %, and the purity of cathode copper is 99.79 %. Electrolyte circulation hardly affected current efficiency, copper recovery rate and copper purity, which were higher than 90 %, 90 %, and 99 %, respectively. The semi-scaled experiment demonstrates its feasibility in industrial application. Primarily cost analysis shows that producing a ton of cathode copper has a profit of about $5,144.5. Therefore, alkaline slurry electrolysis has a broad industrial prospect in WPCBs recycling.