Publication date: 15th December 2025
The future of metal halide perovskite solar cells, particularly lead-based ones, relies heavily on the development of sustainable fabrication processes and effective end-of-life recycling strategies. The high toxicity of lead has prompted stringent European regulations on its handling and disposal, making responsible management essential for environmental and human safety. This creates an urgent need to implement methods that capture lead during fabrication and recover it from end-of-life or otherwise unusable devices. Recovered materials including the flexible substrates can subsequently be recycled into new perovskite solar cells, promoting both environmental protection and a circular economy in photovoltaics.
In HEPAFLEX European project we have developed an aqueous-based method for lead recovery during device fabrication. This approach is applicable not only to end-of-life or inefficient devices, whether on rigid or flexible substrates, but also to devices rendered unusable for other reasons. The process involves recovering lead and re-precipitating it as lead iodide, which can then be reused as a precursor in the fabrication of new perovskite solar cells. Solar cells prepared using this recovered lead iodide have demonstrated efficiencies comparable to those fabricated with commercially sourced lead iodide, validating the feasibility of circular material use in perovskite photovoltaics. Thus, we are closing the loop for lead based perovskite. These advancements provide a foundation for safer, more sustainable, and economically viable solar cell production.
The authors acknowledge funding by the Horizon Europe project HEPAFLEX under grant agreement No. 101122345
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