Abstract: Thermal degradation of pyrolysis of waste circuit boards was investigated by high-resolution pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (PyGC-MS) and thermogravimetry (TG). In helium atmosphere, the products of FR-4 waste printed circuit board were pyrolyzed at 350, 450, 550, 650, and 750 ℃, separately, and the pyrolysis products were identified by on-line MS. The results indicated that the pyrolysis products of the FR-4 waste circuit board were three kinds of substances, such as the low boiling point products, phenol, bisphenol and their related products. Moreover, under 300 ℃, only observed less pyrolysis products. As the increase of pyrolysis temperature, the relative content of the low boiling point products increased. In the range of 450－650 ℃, the qualitative analysis and character were similar, and the relative contents of phenol and bisphenol were higher. The influence of pyrolysis temperature on pyrolyzate yields was studied. On the basis of the pyrolyzate profile and the dependence of pyrolyzate yields on pyrolysis temperature, the thermal degradation mechanism of brominated epoxy resin was proposed.

Key words: brominated epoxy resin (BER), printed circuit boards, pyrolysis, thermal degradation, waste , gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)