Preparation of fine fiberglass‐resin powders from waste printed circuit boards by different milling methods for reinforcing polypropylene composites

TLDR

Milling fiberglass‑resin powders from waste printed circuit boards improves composite processability and appearance, and pan milling produces smaller, more uniform particles than jet or planetary ball milling. The study aimed to produce fine fiberglass‑resin powders via different milling methods to create high‑performance polypropylene composites. The authors prepared fine FRP by applying pan, jet, and planetary ball milling to waste PCBs, then incorporated the powders into polypropylene to evaluate composite performance. Pan‑milled FRP served as a superior reinforcing filler, enhancing mechanical properties, improving dispersion and interfacial adhesion, and promoting heterogeneous nucleation compared to the other milling methods. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., J.

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this study, different milling methods were used to prepare fine fiberglass‐resin powders (FRP) from waste printed circuit boards for the sake of obtaining high‐performance polypropylene (PP)/FRP composite. The processability and appearance of composites can be greatly improved through further milling of FRP; smaller average particle size and narrower particle size distribution can be obtained by pan milling as compared with jet milling and planetary ball milling. Mechanical test results showed that fine FRP prepared by pan milling could be used as reinforcing fillers in the PP composites and possessed better mechanical properties than other two milling methods. The mechanical properties was also confirmed by scanning electron microscopy studies which indicated that the dispersion of FRP and interfacial adhesion between fiberglass and PP matrix was much better by pan milling. Meanwhile, the heterogeneous nucleation effect of FRP by pan milling was more obvious. The above results indicate that solid‐state shear is a new method for producing fine FRP and high‐performance PP composites filled with FRP. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132 , 42494.