Research shows "microrecycling" recovers essential metals from waste solar cells

A published UNSW SMaRT Centre research study demonstrates that SMaRT's "microrecycling" methods can recover essential metals from waste solar panels, usually destined for landfill and stockpiles.

With the rapid advancements in solar photovoltaic technology over recent decades, the world faces a growing number of obsolete solar panels, imposing substantial environmental and economic challenges globally.

Showing how these metals can be recovered from this hard to recycle waste stream paves the way for innovative recycling processes to not only help reduce this waste and its environmental impacts, but to create a circular economy with wider economic and social benefits.

The research builds on a growing body of work by SMaRT including research that revealed a novel method to separate glass layering in waste solar photovoltaic (PV) panels.

Published in the scientific Elsevier journal, Resources, Conservation and Recycling, the study of PV waste, carried out under and funded by SMaRT's ARC Industry Laureate Fellowship for Green Metals, found: 

• Recycling silicon as a pure substance for advanced applications
• Recovering other elements present in PV panels, such as silver and tin
• Implementing a thermochemical process to reduce the carbon footprint of the upcycling process
• Producing highly value-added functional materials like Silicon carbide.

These objectives/findings underscore the sustainable approach adopted in this study.

See SMaRT's ARC Industry Laureate Fellowship for Green Metals webpage for more details on the program and research.  

Read the research study

Video below of thermal separation and recovery of solar PV metals: