Economically Sustainable Recycling of MAPbI₃ Perovskite Solar Cells

Recycling becomes ever relevant with exponentially expanding photovoltaic deployment. Yet, the recycling of commercial silicon photovoltaic modules often falls behind in preserving the quality of materials due to inadequate separation of mixed components. Conversely, the solution processing feature of nascent but propitious perovskite solar cells facilitates simplified component separation. Herein, we report a recycling approach for a planar MAPbI₃ perovskite solar cell, resulting in recycled materials that can be integrated into new cells without compromising their quality. Prior to integration into cell construction, all the collected materials underwent corresponding purification or modification treatments. The hole transport material, Spiro-OMeTAD, was purified with column chromatography. The absorber material, MAPbI₃, was crystalized using anti-solvents. And the recovered old ITO/SnO₂ was coated with fresh SnO₂ for quality rejuvenation. The resulting recycled materials, whether used individually or combined, all lead to cell efficiencies comparable to those of cells constructed with entirely virgin materials. Based on a techno-economic analysis, the developed recycling approach has demonstrated economic viability at both laboratory and industrial scales.