Recycling Non-Metallic Powder of Waste Printed Circuit Boards to Improve the Performance of Asphalt Material

Non-metallic fractions (NMFs) from waste printed circuit boards (PCBs) are mostly composed of cured resin and fiber. In this study, NMF material from a PCB was ground into powder and added into matrix asphalt to produce PCB-NMF-modified asphalt. To improve the compatibility of PCB-NMF and asphalt, a compatibilizer consisting of tung oil and glycerol was also developed. The optimum compatibilizer content was determined to be 8% by weight of the PCB-NMF through a series of laboratory tests, including the softening point, penetration, ductility, and softening point difference (SPD). The micro-mechanism of NMF powder-modified asphalt was analyzed through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and a scanning electron microscope test (SEM). The performances of PCB-NMF-modified asphalt were evaluated by the dynamic shear rheology (DSR) test and the low-temperature bending beam rheometer (BBR) test. The optimum compatibilizer content was 8% by weight of the NMF powder and the optimum content of NMF powder was determined to be 30% by weight of the asphalt based on a comprehensive evaluation. The results show that PCB-NMF can significantly improve stiffness, rutting resistance, high-temperature stability, and temperature sensitivity of asphalt material at an appropriate content. The BBR tests revealed that PCB-NMF slightly weakened the cracking resistance of asphalt at low temperatures. The SEM test showed that the addition of a compatibilizer can increase the compatibility by making the NMF powder evenly dispersed. The FTIR test results implied that a chemical reaction may not have happened between PCB-NMF, compatibilizer, and the matrix asphalt. Overall, it is a promising and sustainable way to utilize PCB-NMF as a modifier for asphalt material and reduce electronic waste treatment at a low cost.