WEEE Recycling: Pyrolyisis of Fire Retardant Model Polymers

Pyrolysis treatments of model polymers were made with the aim to study the recycling of WEEE containing brominated flame retardants. Pyrolysis of flame retarded high impact polystyrene and epoxy resins were made both in flow and closed systems. Products of pyrolysis were analysed with FT-IR spectroscopy and GC-MS and the evolution of bromine was followed with a bromine ion specific electrode. The effect of alkali on pyrolysis was also studied demonstrating, as far epoxy resin is concerned, to be effective on decreasing bromine content in oil and volatile products leading the recovering of bromine from the residue by washing. The alkali treatment demonstrated to be less effective in styrenic polymer containing brominated flame retardant