Recovery of Silver from End-of-Life Silicon Solar Panels via an Oxidative-Coordination Synergistic Approach

Silicon solar panels play an important role in the transition to a carbon-neutral energy system. Silver (Ag), a core yet nonrenewable material in silicon solar panels, faces increasing scarcity with the surge in solar panel production and end-of-life (EoL) volume. We report a synergistic oxidative-coordination strategy for efficient silver recovery from EoL panels. This approach eliminates the use of toxic mineral acids and minimizes secondary pollution by harnessing the strong oxidative potential of hydroxyl radicals (·OH) in combination with the coordination ability of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). Notably, the in situ formation of Ag-Ag2O heterostructures during oxidation promotes enhanced ·OH generation, thereby accelerating silver dissolution. Using this method, complete silver leaching is achieved within 60 min, while closed-loop regeneration of EDTA2- is enabled through chloride-induced precipitation. Life cycle assessment and technoeconomic analysis revealed significant reductions in energy demand, greenhouse gas emissions, and water consumption compared with conventional methods, alongside nearly 126% greater process profitability. This work establishes a sustainable and industrially viable Ag recovery pathway, addressing critical bottlenecks in EoL silicon solar panel waste management.