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Assessing aspects of solution-based chemical synthesis to convert waste Si solar cells into nanostructured aluminosilicate crystals

Garskaite, Edita LU orcid ; Bollen, Math ; Mulenga, Enock ; Warlo, Mathis ; Bark, Glenn ; Olsen, Espen ; Brazinskiene, Dalia ; Sokol, Denis ; Buck, Dietrich and Sandberg, Dick (2024) In CrystEngComm
Abstract

The end-of-life recycling of crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) modules and the utilisation of waste is of fundamental importance to future circular-economy societies. In the present work, the wet-chemistry synthesis route - a low-temperature dissolution-precipitation process - was explored to produce aluminosilicate minerals from waste c-Si solar cells. Nanostructured crystals were produced in an alkaline medium by increasing the reaction temperature from room temperature to 75 °C. The morphology of the produced crystals varied from nanolayered aggregates to rod-shaped crystals and was found to be dependent on the temperature of the reaction medium. Chemical and phase composition studies revealed that the synthesised compounds... (More)

The end-of-life recycling of crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) modules and the utilisation of waste is of fundamental importance to future circular-economy societies. In the present work, the wet-chemistry synthesis route - a low-temperature dissolution-precipitation process - was explored to produce aluminosilicate minerals from waste c-Si solar cells. Nanostructured crystals were produced in an alkaline medium by increasing the reaction temperature from room temperature to 75 °C. The morphology of the produced crystals varied from nanolayered aggregates to rod-shaped crystals and was found to be dependent on the temperature of the reaction medium. Chemical and phase composition studies revealed that the synthesised compounds consisted of structurally different phases of aluminosilicate minerals. The purity and elemental composition of produced crystals were evaluated by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and micro X-ray fluorescence (μXRF) analysis, confirming the presence of Al, O, and Si elements. These results give new insights into the processing of aluminosilicate minerals with sustainable attributes and provide a possible route to reducing waste and strengthening the circular economy.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
epub
subject
in
CrystEngComm
publisher
Royal Society of Chemistry
external identifiers
  • scopus:85190326197
ISSN
1466-8033
DOI
10.1039/d4ce00038b
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
37f3738b-2516-485d-902d-2b6be0d63a07
date added to LUP
2024-04-30 08:26:18
date last changed
2024-04-30 08:27:01
@article{37f3738b-2516-485d-902d-2b6be0d63a07,
  abstract     = {{<p>The end-of-life recycling of crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) modules and the utilisation of waste is of fundamental importance to future circular-economy societies. In the present work, the wet-chemistry synthesis route - a low-temperature dissolution-precipitation process - was explored to produce aluminosilicate minerals from waste c-Si solar cells. Nanostructured crystals were produced in an alkaline medium by increasing the reaction temperature from room temperature to 75 °C. The morphology of the produced crystals varied from nanolayered aggregates to rod-shaped crystals and was found to be dependent on the temperature of the reaction medium. Chemical and phase composition studies revealed that the synthesised compounds consisted of structurally different phases of aluminosilicate minerals. The purity and elemental composition of produced crystals were evaluated by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and micro X-ray fluorescence (μXRF) analysis, confirming the presence of Al, O, and Si elements. These results give new insights into the processing of aluminosilicate minerals with sustainable attributes and provide a possible route to reducing waste and strengthening the circular economy.</p>}},
  author       = {{Garskaite, Edita and Bollen, Math and Mulenga, Enock and Warlo, Mathis and Bark, Glenn and Olsen, Espen and Brazinskiene, Dalia and Sokol, Denis and Buck, Dietrich and Sandberg, Dick}},
  issn         = {{1466-8033}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Royal Society of Chemistry}},
  series       = {{CrystEngComm}},
  title        = {{Assessing aspects of solution-based chemical synthesis to convert waste Si solar cells into nanostructured aluminosilicate crystals}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/d4ce00038b}},
  doi          = {{10.1039/d4ce00038b}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}