Recycling and re-utilization of toxic materials in solar cells for promoting sustainable energy use and environment protection

Professor Choy, Wallace Chik Ho   (Principal Investigator (PI))

30

2019-07-01

2021-12-31

499000

Recycling and re-utilization of toxic materials in solar cells for promoting sustainable energy use and environment protection

environment protection, Recycling, re-utilization, solar cells, sustainable energy use, toxic materials

Environmental Studies and Science

Engineering (E)

ECF Project 64/2018

Environment and Conservation Fund

2018

Completed

(1) establish a non-toxic and device-structure-independent extraction approach regardless of the different polymers/ metal oxides used as carrier transport layers, and metal electrodes to collect the toxic lead iodide from defective, broken or degraded PVSCs. (2) purify the extracted toxic materials for re-use purpose. We will demonstrate a specific procedure to recrystallize and thus purify the toxic lead iodide. All the processes in this task will be completed by using non-toxic solvents. (3) re-utilize the recycled materials. Combining with our solid experiences in designing and fabricating solar cells such as solution-process metal oxide based carrier transport layer and room-temperature and solution-process processing approach of PVSCs, we will fabricate high performance PVSCs from the recycled lead iodide through solution process. (4) establish the conclusive recycling and re-utilization approach. Finally, we will offer the efficient and non-toxic all-solution processing approach to recycle, purify and re-use the toxic lead iodide from defective, broken or degraded PVSCs, which will not only directly address toxic issue of PVSCs for environmental protection but also promote efficient use of green solar energy. Moreover, the knowledge obtained in establishing the universal approach also offers reference for synergizing/leveraging the development of similar approaches for other related fields. e.g., CIGS and CdTe solar cells.