Pyrolysis of mixed plastics used in the electronics industry

The pyrolysis of three plastics used by the electronics industry has been s tudied using pyrolysis/gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py/GC/MS). The materials selected for this study were acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (AB S), polycarbonate (PC) and polyoxymethylene (POM). The selection was based upon the analysis of several pieces of electronic equipment, which had been the subject of laboratory studies. Each polymer was pyrolyzed at two pyrol ysis temperatures (700 and 900 degrees C) alone, together (side by side) wi th polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in a 50/50 co-pyrolysis experiment, and as an i ntimate chemical blend with PVC (50/50). In addition the three polymers wer e also pyrolyzed in the presence of copper powder to determine the role of copper contamination on the pyrolysis of each polymer. The results of the s tudy suggest that both the presence of PVC and copper can influence the ext ent of degradation and the pyrolysis product distribution obtained when the se polymers are pyrolyzed. However, no significant changes were noted that could drastically influence the value of the pyrolysis products. (C) 1999 E lsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.