Macquarie Licenses Precision Silver Recovery Tech for recycling solar panel
Macquarie University has given a breakthrough silver extraction method in a license to ASX-Gentered Lithium universe under an exclusive global deal with a value of more than a $ 500,000 for 20 years, aimed at reforming how Australia recycles solar panels and at the same time recycles intact.
Co-Leads Dr. Bineh Puthen Veettil and Dr. David Payne of the School of Engineering of Macquarie University has a provisional patent on the precision approach, which complements the patented microgolf-driven sun lamination technology for microgolfs that also have a license through Lithium Universe under commercial partnership.
“We can remove selective silver without touching other metals such as aluminum, and without influencing the silicon cells and other components,” says Dr. Veettil. “Our solution is like a pressure play for removing silver.”
The process of the jet electrochemical silver extraction (JZE) sets up a thin stream of weak acid on silver traces in a panel and dissolves the metal in seconds while everything else remains untouched. “The silicon wafer remains intact and non -contaminated, making it suitable for reuse in the production of semiconductors,” says Dr. Veettil.
Traditional recycling grinds entire panels and uses hard chemicals, so that valuable parts are destroyed. The Macquarie method retains components and extracts pure silver with more than 77 percent current efficiency and minimal waste, and it fits with microwave delamination to separate glass, silicon and other materials without grinding or ovens.
The waste challenge is increasing: Global Solar Panel Waste is predicted at 60-78 million tons by 2050, with Australia reaching one million tons alone in 2035. Each panel contains approximately 20 grams of silver worth $ 36 (US $ 23), but only 15 percent of the panels used is currently being recycled.
Market pressure adds urgency. The silver demand increases annually by 7 percent and is expected to reach around 20 million kg in 2025. A shortage of 3.3 million kg is expected this year and the prices have more than doubled from slightly less than US $ 600 per kg to US $ 1250 per kg today.
Lithium Universe will complete research and development before the commercial deployment is in force in 2032, with annual license costs and a sale of royalty. “We have built up a strong, solution -oriented partnership that combines Macquarie’s world -class research with our commercial vision,” says Mr. Tan. “Together we deliver a breakthrough recycling solution that restores silver with a lot of purity while retaining waffle integrity,” he adds.
The team says that the approach could expand to restore other metals such as gallium, indium and copper from panels at the end of life. “This collaboration shows that Impact University research can have in combination with vision in the industry,” says Professor Sam Muller, executive dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering. “While Australia is going to its target of 82 percent renewable energy by 2030, we not only solve the problem of solar waste – we create a new resource flow to meet global demand.”
A video overview of technology is available here.
