Researchers from Tomsk Polytechnic University and Sevastopol State University have developed a two-stage method for recycling solar panels. The process converts waste components into silicon carbide, a material used in power electronics and refractory ceramics.
The team tested the method on a decommissioned polycrystalline solar panel. The process begins with pyrolysis at 500 degrees Celsius to remove polymers, followed by a one-minute reaction using a non-vacuum electric arc at 1,800 degrees Celsius to synthesize the silicon carbide.
Experimental data shows that increasing the carbon content in the initial mixture from 0 to 30 percent boosts the silicon carbide yield in the final product from 46 to 61 percent. The study was supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education.
The researchers noted that the pyrolysis stage effectively eliminates iron silicide phases, reducing impurities. The findings, which detail the chemical reaction efficiency and gas composition, were published in the journal Silicon.
