Process development for the recovery of europium and yttrium from computer monitor screens

• An innovative process for the recovery of Eu and Y from coating powder of panel computer monitors was developed.
• The process consists of sulphuric acid digestion and water leaching with 15 and 60 min respectively – both at 25 °C.
• A liquor containing 17 g L−1 Y, 0.71 g L−1 Eu and 82 g L−1 SO42 was obtained with a dissolution yield of 98% Y and 96% Eu.
• A flow sheet of the overall process was proposed.

This work describes the development of a process for the recovery of Eu and Y from cathode ray tubes (CRTs) of discarded computer monitors with the proposition of a flow sheet for the metals dissolution. Amongst other elements, europium and yttrium are presented in the CRTs in quantities – 0.73 w/w% of Eu and 13.4 w/w% of Y – that make their recovery worthwhile. The process developed is comprised of the sample acid digestion with concentrated sulphuric acid followed by water dynamic leaching at room temperature. In the CRTs, yttrium is present as oxysulphide (Y2O2S) and europium is an associated element – Y2O2S:Eu3+ (red phosphor compound). During the sulphuric acid digestion, oxysulphide is converted into a trivalent Eu and Y sulphate, in solid form, with the liberation of H2S. In the second step, metals are leached from the solid produced in the acid digestion step by dynamic leaching with water. This study indicates that a proportion of 1250 g of acid per kg of the sample is enough to convert Eu and Y oxysulphide into sulphate. After 15 min of acid digestion and 1.0 h of water leaching, a pregnant sulphuric liquor containing 17 g L−1 Y and 0.71 g L−1 Eu was obtained indicating yield recovery of Eu and Y of 96% and 98%, respectively. Both steps (acid digestion and water leaching) may be performed at room temperature.

Simplified flow sheet for the recovery of Eu and Y from CRTs of computers.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide