A Two-Step Leaching Process Using Thiourea for the Recovery of Precious Metals from Waste Printed Circuit Boards

Abstract

The development of efficient recovery methods for waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs) not only tackles the environmental risks of disposal but also promotes the conservation of resources within the electronics industry. This study proposes a two-step leaching approach for recovering metals from WPCBs. Initially, transition metals are leached using nitric acid, followed by the recovery of precious metals with thiourea in the second stage. In the first stage, dissolution rates exceeding 90 wt% were achieved for transition metals, including Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, and Sn. In this stage, the dissolution of precious metals (i.e., Au and Pd) was insignificant. In the second stage, the effect of four parameters was investigated, including the impact of temperature, concentrations of ferric ions, sulfuric media, and thiourea on the recovery of Au and Pd. Precise control over sulfate concentration played a vital role in achieving maximum Au recovery. The optimal acid concentration was 0.2 M, resulting in a recovery rate of ~50 wt%. Ferric ion concentration positively affects Au recovery, whereas, in extracting Pd, optimal conditions imposed the absence of ferric ions. Thiourea concentration positively impacted Au and Pd recovery rates, peaking at 49 wt% for Au at 1 M and 44 wt% for Pd at 1.5 M. Prolonged leaching resulted in declining Au recovery rates, indicating a decrease in reagent concentration. Temperature variation yielded similar outcomes, with 50 °C resulting in peak recovery rates of 53 wt% for Au and 54 wt% for Pd. Metal dissolution kinetics during leaching were analyzed using pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order models. The second-order model proved suitable for transition metals in the first stage, while only for Au and Pd in the second stage (with R2 = 0.99).