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News: Recently, scientists found a green way to recycle toxic perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Perovskite Solar Cells (PSCs).
About Perovskite Solar Cells (PSCs)
- A perovskite solar cell is one that includes a perovskite-structured compound, most commonly a hybrid organic-inorganic lead or tin halide-based material, as the light-harvesting active layer.
- A perovskite is a material (first found in the Ural Mountains) that has the same crystal structure as the mineral calcium titanium oxide and is named after Lev Perovski, the founder of the Russian Geographical Society.
- They display interesting properties like superconductivity, giant magneto-resistance, and ferro-electricity- making them applicable to be used in clean energy.
- They are inexpensive and highly efficient.
- Drawbacks:
- Toxic waste: They contain toxic elements like lead, which demands toxic organic solvents like dimethylformamide for recycling.
- Stability: PSCs have shorter operational lifespans compared to traditional silicon-based solar cell.
A Green Way to Recycle PSCs
- To recycle perovskite solar cells (PSCs), sodium acetate is added to the solution. It binds with lead ions to form lead acetate, which dissolves easily in water.
- Next, sodium iodide and hypophosphorous acid are introduced.
- Sodium iodide helps repair the degraded perovskite crystals, while hypophosphorous acid acts as a stabilizer, allowing the solution to be reused over time.
- Ethanol and ethyl acetate are also used to dissolve other layers of the solar cell, making it possible to separate, recover, and reuse each component.
- This eco-friendly process can recover up to 99% of the materials in PSCs, even after multiple recycling cycles.
