Utilization of Waste Non-Metallic Printed Circuit Boards in Polymer Composites from Acrylate-Styrene-Acrylonitrile

Abstract

One of the important environmental problems today is the increase in electronic and electrical wastes produced from daily usage and the modern lifestyle. This work focused on the use of waste non-metallic printed circuit boards (WNMPCB) obtained from comminuted recycled printed circuit boards (PCBs) as a filler for acrylate-styrene-acrylonitrile (ASA) composite. The effect of filler loading and the type of interfacial agent employed in the composite were investigated. The ASA/WNMPCB composites were prepared with varying amounts of WNMPCB as filler between 0-30 phr of ASA by melt-blending technique, and the ASA/WNMPCB composites would be modified with surface treatment agents, including a silane coupling agent and styrene-maleic anhydride (SMA). All materials were mixed by using a two-roll mill at 240 °C, and test specimens were prepared with an injection molding machine. Phase morphology, mechanical and thermal properties of acrylate-styrene-acrylonitrile (ASA) reinforced with waste non-metallic printed circuit boards (WNMPCB) were determined in this study and compared with neat ASA. Experimental results showed that WNMPCB could be employed as a filler, and improved properties were obtained. Phase morphology from SEM images was found that the interfacial modification enhanced the interfacial adhesion between WNMPCB (filler) and matrix (ASA), caused an improvement in properties. The maximum improvement of properties of ASA/WNMPCB was 30 phr of WNMPCB modified with styrene-maleic anhydride (SMA).