bricks for future

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  pcb after segragation

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  how we get the pcb

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  after cleaning, ready for crushing

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  brown strip is copper finish

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  bricks mixed with demolision waste

Inspiration The growing global e-waste crisis inspired us to find a sustainable solution that not only reduces electronic waste but also creates something valuable. Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) are a significant component of e-waste, and their improper disposal poses severe environmental and health risks. Our goal was to repurpose this waste into something useful, thereby contributing to environmental conservation and the circular economy. This led us to the idea of transforming PCB waste into eco-friendly bricks for construction.

What it Does Our project converts discarded PCBs into durable bricks that can be used in construction. By recycling the metal and non-metal components of PCBs, we create a sustainable building material that reduces e-waste and offers an eco-friendly alternative to traditional bricks. These PCB bricks help in minimizing landfill waste and reduce the demand for raw materials in construction.

How We Built It We started by collecting and cleaning discarded PCBs. The PCBs were then shredded and the valuable metals extracted. The remaining materials were mixed with binders and additives to create a moldable mixture. This mixture was then pressed and heated in custom-designed molds to form bricks. After molding, the bricks were cured, cooled, and tested for strength and durability. Throughout the process, we collaborated with materials scientists and construction experts to ensure the quality and feasibility of the bricks.

Challenges We Ran Into One of the biggest challenges was the safe extraction of metals from the PCBs without releasing toxic substances. Ensuring that the bricks were strong enough to be used in construction while maintaining environmental safety standards was another hurdle. Additionally, designing a cost-effective and scalable process that could be implemented on a larger scale required significant research and experimentation.

Accomplishments That We're Proud Of We’re proud of successfully creating a prototype brick that meets basic construction standards while being made entirely from PCB waste. This accomplishment not only demonstrates the feasibility of our idea but also showcases the potential for reducing e-waste in an innovative way. Additionally, we’re proud of the environmental impact our solution could have by diverting hazardous PCB waste from landfills and incineration.

What We Learned Through this project, we learned a great deal about the complexities of e-waste recycling and the challenges of developing new construction materials. We gained valuable insights into the process of metal extraction, material science, and sustainable construction practices. The project also taught us the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and the need for continuous innovation in tackling environmental issues.

What's Next for Bricks for Future Our next steps include optimizing the production process to make it more cost-effective and scalable. We plan to conduct further testing to enhance the bricks' strength and durability, making them suitable for a wider range of construction applications. We also aim to collaborate with construction companies and environmental organizations to bring our PCB bricks to market. Additionally, we’ll explore the possibility of using other types of e-waste in the brick-making process, further expanding the scope and impact of our solution.

Built With

• compression
• moulding
• resin
• segregation
• waste