Recycling of solar cells from photovoltaic modules via an environmentally friendly and controllable swelling process by using dibasic ester

As a large number of photovoltaic (PV) modules are approaching the end of their lifespan, the management of end-of-life crystalline silicon PV modules, especially the recycling of solar cells, is imminent. The premise of sufficiently recycling solar cells containing valuable resources from PV modules is to eliminate EVA for bonding glass, solar cells, and backsheet. Compared with physical methods and pyrolysis, the chemical swelling method for separating different layers to recover solar cells has the advantages of low energy consumption and high separation efficiency. However, the toxicity of swelling reagents and the uncontrollable swelling process are major problems. In this context, a novel green reagent dibasic ester (DBE, C₂₁H₃₆O₁₂) was used to separate the glass-EVA layer. In order to expose the solar cells for subsequent resource recovery, the effect of various parameters on the separation of different layers was studied. The mechanism of glass-EVA separation with DBE was examined by FTIR, SEM, and GC–MS. Compared with traditional chemical reagents, the swelling of EVA by DBE is controllable, which can prevent excessive cracking of solar cells and facilitate the recycling of solar cells. This research has crucial implications for the green and sufficient recycling of solar cells from PV modules.