Technology Overview
LCD Waste Recycling System.
Approximately 8,000 tons of waste LCD panels are produced in Taiwan every year. Due to the lack of a proper disposal method, they can only be sent to a landfill or undergo physical processing. As a result, disposal costs are increasing year by year, and environmental pollution and associated hazards ensue. ITRI developed a brand new, tonne-capacity zero-waste LCD waste recycling system, in which liquid crystal, indium, and glass can be removed from an LCD panel, purified, and reused. To be specific, the liquid crystal will be recovered to a 9N purity level and can thus be reused in the original manufacturing process. Indium, obtained from a concentration of 30%, can be refined and then used in indium targets. The glass, for its part, can be modified to become a nano-porous glass adsorbent material used for adsorbing heavy metals more than 50 mg/g.
Applications & Benefits
This technology has helped manufacturers complete software-hardware integration and establish automated waste processing lines, saving on processing and installation costs. Not only is it environmentally friendly, but it also has economic benefits. With these features, it conforms to the international trend toward a circular economy and is an ideal solution for processing waste LCD panels. It received a 2017 R&D 100 Award and Special Recognition Award in Green Tech.