Recovery of Silver from Nitrate Leaching Solution of Silicon Solar Cells

Abstract

1 mol/L , 70, 2h Ag, Al. LIX63. : pH, , , A/O ratio(), A/O ratio. McCabe-Thiele plotsAg(I), Ag(I)>99.99%, 98.9%. Ag(I)Al(III)99.998% 99.99% , Ag(I)Al(III). , , , , Abstract Spent photovoltaic module is one of the important resource of silver, while related research concerning silver recovery remains limited. In our previous research, HNO 3 was utilized to dissolve Ag(I) and Al(III) from the spent silicon solar cells. In order to recover Ag(I) from the leachate of a silicon solar cell, the present study made use of a nitrate solution containing Ag(I) and Al(III), which was subjected to a solvent extraction process with 5,8-diethyl-7-hydroxydodecan-6-oxime (LIX63). Ag(I) was selectively extracted with LIX63 over Al(III) from the nitrate leach solution. Subsequently, quantitative stripping of Ag(I) from the loaded LIX63 was performed by using 20% ammonia water. The McCabe-Thiele plots for the extraction and stripping isotherms of Ag(I) were also constructed. Extraction and stripping simulation tests confirmed an Ag(I) extraction and stripping efficiency of >99.99% and 98.9%, respectively with high purity Ag (99.998%) and Al (99.99%) solution. A process flow sheet for Ag(I) recovery from the nitrate leach solution was proposed.