E-Waste Acrylonitrile–Butadiene–Styrene (ABS) Upcycling via Low-Dose Electron Beam Irradiation (EBI) and Halloysite Nanotubes (HNTs): A Circular Approach

In this work, a sustainable approach is proposed for upcycling recycled Acrylonitrile–Butadiene–Styrene (ABS) derived from electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) through a combination of electron beam irradiation (EBI) technique and halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) used as reinforcement. The study reveals that the application of EBI at an optimal dose of 10 kGy enhances the tensile properties of unfilled e-waste ABS, achieving an increase of almost 9% in tensile strength (TS) and about 40% in Young’s modulus (E). Incorporating 5 wt% HNTs into e-waste ABS not only improves the thermal stability of the composite material, but also modifies its behavior towards irradiation, shifting the optimal dose to 5 kGy. Another effect of the combination of HNTs and irradiation is noted with regard to the increase in storage modulus (E’). The findings present a promising and eco-friendly route to transform e-waste ABS into a higher-value engineering material.