Thermal Transformation of Waste Toner Powder into a Value-Added Ferrous Resource

Abstract

This paper describes the development of a thermal transformation process to recycle waste toner powder in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner. The process leverages high-temperature reactions and the morphology and chemical composition of waste toner powder, mainly the iron oxide and carbon content, by utilizing the gases evolved during the thermal transformation as an in situ source of carbon to convert the waste toner powder into 98% pure iron. A temperature of 1550 °C was employed in the present study to ensure the complete transformation of waste toner powder to iron and also because of its practical relevance to operating conditions encountered in metal manufacturing and processing industries. The process delivers an iron recovery of 81.6%. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy–energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy analyses were employed to confirm the composition of the metallic product. GC–MS analysis was utilized to monitor gaseous aromatic compounds during the thermal degradation studies of the waste toner powder, and none were detected above 1200 °C. In addition, this paper presents a comprehensive characterization of the waste toner powder and resultant products using various analytical techniques, a kinetic study of the thermal decomposition of waste toner powder, and a pelletization technique to overcome its material handling hazards.

Preparation and application synthesis of magnetic nanocomposite using waste toner for the removal of Cr(vi)

“…19 A thermal transformation process was investigated to convert WT into 98% pure iron by using the gases collected during the thermal transformation as an in situ source of carbon. 21 Recently, iron-bearing materials have been applied to various elds such as drug delivery, sensors, electromagnetic interference shielding, and adsorbents for environmental remediation. [22][23][24] In the environmental eld, iron-bearing materials such as magnetite, 25,26 iron suldes, 27,28 goethite, 29 and zerovalent iron 30 can remediate Cr(VI).…”

Waste Toner-Derived Carbon/Fe3O4 Nanocomposite for High-Performance Supercapacitor

“…Approximately, 6000 tons of carbon powder is ejected into the atmosphere every year that would essentially pollute the atmosphere, water and soil. 1,7,8…”

Challenges and Emerging Trends in Toner Waste Recycling: A Review

“…In addition to preventing environmental pollution, the technology recovers valuable products from waste toner. Quite recently, Gaikwad et al recovered pure iron (98%) from waste toner through an environmentallyfriendly thermal transformation process [37]. Uttam Kumar and coworkers reported an innovative method of using plastics from end-of-life printers as a carbon source for the reduction in iron oxide in waste toners to produce iron [38].…”