Translating Electronic Waste Materials into Microwave Absorbing Materials: A Critical Analysis

This work explores the possibility of using the empirical characteristics of electronic waste (e-waste) materials and translating them into microwave absorbing materials. E-waste management and recycling in India is a great challenge and is becoming a huge public health issue and environmental hazard. In this regard, repurposing of discarded electronic components and circuits can be efficiently utilized by researchers for the development of materials that can effectively absorb microwave radiation. This study provides a critical understanding regarding e-waste and its preparation to utilize waste materials for microwave absorption. To this end, the synthesis and characterization of e-waste mixed with different wt.% of copper is proposed to achieve enhanced microwave absorption. The morphological, elemental, dielectric, and magnetic properties of the e-waste-based mixtures are subjected to rigorous investigation. The results show that the increase in heterogeneity and complex morphology leads to enhanced absorption performance. Further, the outcomes obtained from e-waste and e-waste mixture-based absorbers are studied in detail to analyze their microwave absorption properties and the possible underlying mechanisms. Thus, this study contributes significantly to technological advancements in the field and offers a sustainable, cost-effective solution for managing e-waste.