Disentanglement of random access memory cards to regenerate copper foil: A novel thermo-electrical approach.

This paper reports the development of a novel process combining thermal and electrical treatments, which are optimised to provide efficient recovery of copper foil from Random Access Memory cards (RAMs). A primary thermal transformation at 900 °C facilitates a highly efficient recovery of copper foils from RAMs during the secondary processing in the electrical fragmenter, using only 10 pulses at 150 kV. The process yield was 98% and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) analysis showed that the copper foils had 98% purity.