RECOVERY OF SILVER FROM PRINTED ELECTRONIC WASTE

Printed electronics are preferred over traditional circuit systems in various fields such as energy, healthcare, packaging, and automotive due to reasons like lower silver ink usage, thinner product production, and suitability for mass production. The most commonly used type of ink in printed electronics is silver-based ink. Due to silver's high conductivity and the conductivity of its oxide, it is the most widely used material in printed electronic inks compared to other organic materials and metals. The growing needs of developing technology and the use of silver in other industries continually drive up its price. Considering environmental issues, the recovery of silver from printed electronics has become quite significant. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of two different methods in the recovery of silver ink printed on textile material. In the study, commercial silver paste inks were printed on textile material using screen printing. After drying, the printed samples were aged for two years, and then the silver recovery process was applied. Two methods were employed for silver recovery. In the first method, the silver-printed sample was burned at high temperature, and the silver in the resulting ash was dissolved in nitric acid. In the second method, the silver-printed sample was cut into small pieces and treated with nitric acid without burning to dissolve the silver. The amount of silver dissolved in the solution in both methods was determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Additionally, the effects of nitric acid concentration on recovery were investigated. As a result, it was determined that the amount of silver recovered by the incineration method was higher, but the energy cost was also higher compared to the other method.