Resource efficient low power laser cleaning of compact discs for material reuse by polycarbonate recovery

This paper deals with laser cleaning of compact discs with the aim to recover the polycarbonate layers and allow their reuse for further applications. A low power 30 W MOPFA and Q-switched pulsed Yb:YAG fibre laser is employed to ablate the metal substrate located between the polycarbonate layer and the outer serigraphy of the CDs. Compared to traditional cleaning processes, this method offers low environmental impact and greater flexibility of use. Two experimental test series are carried out to investigate the interaction mechanisms involved in the process and the effect of the process parameters on the mechanism of separation. The final aim is to identify the process conditions that could ensure a 100% cleaned surface without polymer degradation and evaluate the process time required to clean a CD.