IN-PROCESS RECYCLING OF PLATING WASTES

The objective of Faraday Technology's Phase I program is to demonstrate thefeasibility of a novel treatment technology for in process recycling ofwastewaters generated by the printed wiring board (PWB) and metal finishingindustries. Specifically, their electrochemical ion-exchange (EIX) process willenable in-process recycling of both water to rinsing operations and metal saltsto plating operations. Conventional ion-exchange allows in-process recycling ofrinse water; however, the metal salts are not reusable in the plating process.Conventional electrochemical treatment (electrowinning) allows recovery of metalin metallic form for off-site recycling, however, the metal recovered is notcompatible with in-process recycling. Additionally, the treated water fromelectrowinning cannot be recycled to the rinse operation. In Phase I, they will1) fabricate EIX cathodes and anodes, 2) incorporate EIX electrodes into theirexisting electrochemical hardware, 3) evaluate the EIX process for treatment oflead/tin wastewater representative of solder plating operations, and 4) conductand economic analysis of the EIX process.