Sustainable composite panels from non-metallic waste printed circuit boards and automotive plastics

In this study, non-metallic waste from printed circuit boards (PCBs) and waste automotive plastics (WAP) were used to produce sustainable composite panels, with a wide range of potential uses comparable to products such as MDF (medium density fibreboard). The composite panels, made from differing proportions of non-metallic PCB waste and WAP, were fabricated by using a hot press. The physical properties of the fabricated panels were studied by density measurements. The panels were characterised mechanically through flexural, tensile and compression tests and fractured surfaces were observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for interface interaction studies. The density of the produced panels increased linearly, as the proportion of non-metallic PCB waste increased, in a range of 0.956 g/cc for 100/0 (WAP/non-metallic PCB) to 1.227 g/cc for 60/40 (WAP/non-metallic PCB) panels. SEM images clearly show that the non-metallic glass fibres of the PCB waste were encapsulated by the plastics of the automotive waste. The homogeneous distribution and increase in interfacial adhesion between non-metallic glass fibres of the PCBs and WAP were observed. The results demonstrate that the addition of non-metallic PCB waste greatly improves the flexural, tensile and compression properties of composite panels, compared to 100% WAP panels. The flexural and tensile modulus of the 80/20 (WAP/non-metallic PCB) panel was, up by ∼50% and ∼280%, compared to 100% WAP. This sustainable and eco-friendly recycling approach provides an opportunity to utilise two problematic waste streams; complex non-metallic PCB waste and automotive plastics.