@misc{10481/107162,
year = {2026},
month = {1},
url = {https://hdl.handle.net/10481/107162},
abstract = {The rapid expansion of photovoltaic (PV) energy has led to a growing concern regarding the management of endof-life solar panels. Projections indicate a substantial growth of PV panel waste in the coming years, highlighting
the urgent need for effective disposal solutions. In this study, the most critical phase in the recycling of Si-based
PV panels, i.e., module delamination, was investigated under two scenarios: solvent- and thermal-based methods.
The study encompasses the complete recycling chain, from initial module disassembly to its delamination and the
comprehensive characterization of the resulting material fractions. Neuro-fuzzy models were developed to
maximize the efficiency of the delamination process. An innovative simulated distillation with an equivalence to
a 100 theoretical-plate physical distillation procedure was also designed to identify potential valorizable hydrocarbons. The most effective solvent-based delamination process was achieved with toluene for 180 min
assisted by ultrasounds, reaching a separation degree of 0.75 (complete glass and backsheet detachment, but
with polymer residues on the Si cell surface). Thermal delamination proved significantly more effective,
achieving complete separation (degree = 1) with full encapsulant removal, recovery of silicon cells without
microcracks, and isolation of high-purity metallic filaments, under a range of conditions (350–550 ◦C, 30–50
min, 21 % O2). Finally, simulated distillation confirmed the presence of valorizable hydrocarbons with the
following product distribution: 65 % light naphtha, 17 % heavy naphtha, 16 % kerosene, and 2 % gas oil (dieselrange).},
organization = {Greening Global, the CDTI (Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnológico e Innovación) - CTA (Corporación Tecnológica de Andalucía).},
publisher = {Elsevier},
keywords = {Solar panel},
keywords = {Recycling},
keywords = {Delamination},
title = {Recycling end-of-life solar panels: A comparative study of thermal and solvent delamination techniques},
doi = {10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113990},
author = {Calero De Hoces, Francisca Mónica and Ramírez-Cantero, Javier and Pérez Huertas, Salvador and Pérez Muñoz, Antonio and Mateos, Manuel and Blázquez García, Gabriel},
}