Recovery of Gallium and Indium from Waste Light Emitting Diodes†

Recovery of gallium and indium from waste light emitting diodes has been emphasized gradually owing to high content of gallium and indium. This study was established the recovery of gallium (Ga3+) and indium (In3+) from waste gallium nitride was contained in waste light-emitting diodes. The procedure was divided into the following steps; characteristic analysis, alkaline roasting, and leaching. In characteristic analysis part, the results were used as a theoretical basis for the acid leaching part, and the chemical composition of waste light emitting diodes is 70.32% Ga, 5.31% Si, 2.27% Al and 2.07% In. Secondly, with reduction of non-metallic components by alkaline roasting, gallium nitride was reacted into sodium gallium oxide, in this section, the optimal condition of alkaline roasting is that the furnace was soaked at 900°C for 3 hours with mixing Na2CO3. Next, leaching of waste light emitting diodes was extremely important in the process of recovery of gallium and indium. The result of leaching efficiency was investigated on the optimal condition accounting for the acid agent, concentration of acid, the ratio of liquid and solid, and reaction time. The optimal condition of leaching procedures was carried out for 2.0M of HCl liquid-solid mass ratio of 30 ml/g in 32minutes at 25°C and about 96.88% Ga and 96.61% In were leached.