Fabrication of magnetic zeolite coated with carbon fiber using pyrolysis products from waste printed circuit boards

Abstract

Pyrolysis is a potential technique in the application of decomposing organics from waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs), which has advantage of resource recovery, high efficiency and easy operation. In order to support and promote pyrolysis technology, it is necessary to carry out harmless disposal and comprehensive utilization of pyrolysis products. Considering the compositions, pyrolysis products can be used as carbon source. In this work, pyrolysis products, waste zeolites (WZs) and residual heat were used to prepare magnetic zeolites coated with carbon fibers (MZCCFs). The results showed that the mass ratio of Fe@WZs and NMs with 2.0, diameter of Fe@WZs with 0.15–0.30 mm, reaction temperature with 750 °C and reaction time with 20 min were optimum parameters to fabricated MZCCFs. Besides, SEM, XRD, FT-IR and Raman spectra suggested that carbon fiber was successfully formed when the temperature raised to 750 °C. And the interplanar spacing, thickness of microcrystal and crystallite size of carbon fiber were 0.3767 nm, 1.67 nm and 3.64 nm, respectively, indicating that MZCCFs have ordered graphite structure. Moreover, MZCCFs exhibited excellent thermostability and large specific surface area, which can be employed as demulsifier and have good demulsification, excellent corrosion resistance and recyclability for emulsified oil removing. In conclusion, an environmental-friendly method for recycling pyrolysis products of WPCBs was proposed, which provide novel idea for complex organic disposing.