DONGSHENG has experimented with various Printed Circuit Board Recycling Methods, and by 2025, significant improvements in Printed Circuit Board Recycling Methods. DONGSHENG Precious Metals Recycling Company's “oxygen-free dry steam pyrolysis technology” is one of the most efficient methods currently available: in a nitrogen-sealed micro-negative pressure environment (-50 to -10 Pa), overheated steam is used to heat the material to a specific temperature, causing the resin to decompose into small molecular gases while the metals remain in their original state without oxidation. As a result, the recovery rate of precious metals from printed circuit boards has increased by over 30%, and dioxin generation is completely suppressed throughout the process, with emission values below 0.1 ng TEQ/Nm³. Another method, the supercritical methanol method (ScM), treats materials at 350°C with a liquid-to-solid ratio of 20 mL/g for 90 minutes, achieving 96% organic matter degradation, a copper recovery rate of 35.76%, and over 90% methanol recyclability. Physical-mechanical methods combined with AI sorting are the foundational yet critical Printed Circuit Board Recycling Methods—three-stage gradient crushing controls particle size to 1–5 mm, paired with XRF or LIBS spectroscopy for identification, achieving a metal recovery rate of 98.2%. Hydrometallurgy focuses on extracting high-value metals, such as using thiourea to replace sodium cyanide for gold leaching, thereby reducing environmental risks. The choice of Printed Circuit Board Recycling Methods must match the material type: distillation is suitable for complete boards with components, physical methods are suitable for pre-disassembled substrates, and wet methods are suitable for metal-enriched powders.
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After using advanced printed circuit board recycling methods, the Printed Circuit Board Recycling Process must strictly follow the three stages of pretreatment, decomposition, and sorting. Taking DONGSHENG's server motherboard processing as an example: the first step is manual disassembly of hazardous components such as large capacitors and batteries to prevent explosions or toxin release during pyrolysis; the second step involves vacuum low-temperature pyrolysis (235-250°C, vacuum pressure <1000 Pa) for 2 hours; The third step involves using a shear-type shredder to crush the boards into 2mm particles. If the particles are too coarse, it reduces metal separation efficiency; if too fine, copper foil may wrap around the glass fiber. The fourth step involves sorting: eddy current separation is used to separate lightweight non-metals, electrostatic separation to extract copper alloys, while precious metal particles are extracted via hydrobromic acid leaching followed by electrolytic refining. The key control points in PCB recycling are the synergistic effects of pyrolysis temperature and crushing particle size—resin that is not fully brittle will cause metal tearing during crushing, reducing the purity of subsequent sorting.
Methods of Printed Circuit Board Recycling Near Me are centered in the United States and cover multiple countries. DONGSHENG offers 24/7 online quotation services, with a team equipped with portable XRF analyzers for on-site valuation of gold-plated boards and aluminum substrates, providing tiered pricing based on gold content (e.g., a 15% premium for gold layers exceeding 0.1 μm). Methods of Printed Circuit Board Recycling Near Me in European countries, we also offer professional full-factory recycling services, capable of handling 10-tonne-level idle PCBA inventory, completing data de-classification, decommissioning, and transportation within 72 hours. Additionally, we have introduced an “on-site recycling” model in South Asia, where a 30-person team is stationed at the client's factory, reducing the waste board turnover cycle from 45 days to 3 days while simultaneously alleviating warehouse pressure. Printed circuit board recycling companies in my area generally require hazardous waste operation permits, such as the “Hazardous Waste Operation Permit” for handling lead-containing solder, to avoid illegal disposal methods like acid washing. Printed Circuit Board Recycling Near Me channels prioritize serving manufacturing clusters, such as hydrogen energy plants in Europe and power plants in the US, with daily processing volumes exceeding 5 tons.
PCBs eligible for high-price recycling must meet three criteria: high metal concentration, low levels of harmful substances, and ease of separation. Military-grade high-frequency boards with 10 or more layers are the top category, with palladium plating content reaching 0.3% and dense gold bonding points. Rongxi Technology uses intelligent sorting to increase precious metal yields by 35%. Gold-plated connectors/slot boards (gold thickness > 0.2 μm) are recycled based on current gold prices, with 1 kilogram of gold-plated pins yielding 1 gram of gold. New energy vehicle control boards contain platinum group metals (such as ruthenium resistors) and have a copper content exceeding 20%. After distillation and pyrolysis, their metal value is 40% higher than that of ordinary boards. Aluminum-based copper-clad laminates (e.g., LED heat sink substrates) have easy metal separation, achieving a physical recovery rate of 99%, saving 30% in processing costs compared to fiberglass boards. Note that soft-hard hybrid boards containing lithium batteries must have the batteries pre-removed to prevent thermal decomposition fires; oil-immersed transformer boards require solvent cleaning, as residual insulating oil can contaminate thermal decomposition products.
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