The Conversation (0)
Bayan Mining and Minerals Ltd (ASX: BMM; "BMM" or "the Company") is pleased to announce that it has reached an agreement to exclusively licence IP from Macquarie University for its Solar Cell Recycling Technology. A summary of the material terms of the agreement are set out in Schedule 1. This agreement is a key milestone in Bayan’s strategic growth, enabling the Company to take advantage of a major economic opportunity in the critical mineral recycling/recovery market.
Highlights
- Bayan has secured an exclusive license from Macquarie University for “Microwave Joule Heating Technology” a microwave-based solar panel recycling technology, positioning the company at the forefront of sustainable energy technology solutions.
- The Company intends to commence further research and development to assess the ability to potentially recover valuable metals such as Silver, Silicon, Gallium and Indium.
- The basis of the technology platform utilises microwave technology to soften the EVA encapsulant in solar panels, enabling easy delamination and potential recovery of valuable materials at room temperature. This approach avoids the need for extreme heat (1400°C) typically required for separating materials like glass and silicon as well as the use of costly hazardous chemicals in traditional processes.
- Delamination enables selective separation of materials without the need for mechanical crushing, whereas traditional crushing methods often result in crosscontaminated material and lower recovery rates.
- The breakthrough technology presents a potential novel pathway for improved recovery of materials such as silver and silicon from solar panels, critical materials underpinning solar and semiconductor technologies.
- By 2035, Australia is expected to accumulate 1 million tonnes of solar panel waste worth over A$1 billion1, while the global CIGS (Copper, Indium, Gallium, Selenide) solar cell market is projected to grow to US$12.23 billion by 20322.
The Technology from Macquarie University
The team from the School of Engineering at Macquarie University, led by Dr Binesh Puthen Veettil, have developed a new microwave technology that will solve the challenge of electronic waste from end-of-life solar panels. Currently, the recycling process is technically challenging with only an estimated 15% of solar panels making it to a recycling facility3, and the remainder going straight to landfill once they have reached their 20–25-year end of life span. In the rare instance they are recycled, the solar panels, in the traditional method, are crushed and heated at approximately 1400°C before being washed in harsh chemicals to remove the plastics.
Dr Binesh Puthen Veettil’s research in collaboration with the School of Photovoltaics at UNSW, the Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics and further supported by the Australian Government through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency highlights the immense need and impact this technology will bring.
In this new method, the microwave energy is used to selectively heat the materials within a solar panel. In this process, the silicon cells and other microwave-absorbing components rapidly heat up, while surrounding materials remain relatively cool. This targeted heating causes the plastic encapsulant, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), which holds the panel layers together to soften and degrade.
Figure 1 – A visual representation illustrating how microwave radiation selectively targets the plastic encapsulant (EVA) in solar panels, softening it to enable the delamination of solar cells while leaving other materials largely unaffected
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This article includes content from Bayan Mining and Minerals, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
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