Chemical analysis of LED bulb components: strategies for efficient recycling

Although there are several types of LED lamps on the market, the bulb type is one of the most sold in Brazil. A LED lighting system comprises some components such as base, heat sink, driver, and electronic board that contains the LED packages and a reflector. Each of these, made up of specific materials, involves polymers, metals, and ceramics. With the growth in the use of LED lamps in various sectors (industrial, commercial, and residential) there are several movements towards recycling them. However, it is necessary to know the materials most used in the LED lamp system to create recycling strategies for all components. In this context, the current study aimed to chemically characterize most of the components of bulb-type LED lamps by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), in addition to X-ray fluorescence (FRX) and micro-Raman spectroscopy. The presence of strategic metals such as Ce and Y (rare earths), Si, In and Ga used in semiconductor components could be detected, as well as Cu, whose demand has doubled the price of this metal in recent years. No less important, the presence of Na, Mg, Al, Fe, Ni and Zn was also determined. Recycling these metals, from LED lamps, can reintegrate them into their productive chains. (author)