Returning the silver of waste solar cells

Can solar cells recover silver?

A combination technique comprising hydrometallurgy and electrochemical deposition developed by researchers at the University of Camerino in Italy has boosted the recovery rate of silver from spent solar cells to 98.7 percent. Compared to conventional approaches, this approach is also environmentally friendly.

How much silver can be recovered from spent solar panels?

Representative image of spent solar panel at the end of its lifecycle. A combination technique comprising hydrometallurgy and electrochemical deposition developed by researchers at the University of Camerino in Italy has boosted the recovery rate of silver from spent solar cells to 98.7 percent.

Can silver be recycled in solar cells?

However, most valuable metals in the solar cell, especially silver (1% in c-Si solar cells, which is much larger than 0.0005% in natural silver ore), are theoretically recyclable (Figure 1b). Thus, silver recovery should be operated and added to the solar panel recycling.

What is the significance of recovering silver from spent silicon solar cells?

The significance of recovering silver from spent silicon solar cells cannot be overstated, particularly in light of the increasing demand for silver and the strict environmental regulations in place (Gervais et al., 2023). Moreover, the retrieval of raw materials is crucial for multiple reasons.

How to recover metals from silicon solar cell waste?

Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrodeposition-redox replacement (EDRR) techniques were used to efficiently recover metals from the silicon solar cell waste. The determination of metal concentrations was carried out utilizing ICP-OES analysis, while SEM was employed to examine the physical structure of the deposited metal.

Can silver be recycled from crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV)?

The authors declare no conflict of interest. Abstract Silver can be recycled from the end-of-life crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV), yet the recycling and its technology scale-up are still at an early stage especially in continuously oper...