• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.259-273
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• 2012

Chalcogenide-based semiconductors, such as $CuInSe_2$, $CuGaSe_2$, Cu(In,Ga)$Se_2$ (CIGS), and CdTe have attracted considerable interest as efficient materials in thin film solar cells (TFSCs). Currently, CIGS and CdTe TFSCs have demonstrated the highest power conversion efficiency (PCE) of over 11% in module production. However, commercialized CIGS and CdTe TFSCs have some limitations due to the scarcity of In, Ga, and Te and the environmental issues associated with Cd and Se. Recently, kesterite CZTS, which is one of the In- and Ga- free absorber materials, has been attracted considerable attention as a new candidate for use as an absorber material in thin film solar cells. The CZTS-based absorber material has outstanding characteristics such as band gap energy of 1.0 eV to 1.5 eV, high absorption coefficient on the order of $10^4cm^{-1}$, and high theoretical conversion efficiency of 32.2% in thin film solar cells. Despite these promising characteristics, research into CZTS-based thin film solar cells is still incomprehensive and related reports are quite few compared to those for CIGS thin film solar cells, which show high efficiency of over 20%. The recent development of kesterite-based CZTS thin film solar cells is summarized in this work. The new challenges for enhanced performance in CZTS thin films are examined and prospective issues are addressed as well.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.39-45
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• 2021

Spent photovoltaic module is one of the important resource of silver, while related research concerning silver recovery remains limited. In our previous research, HNO3 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.