Circular technologies for photovoltaic recycling, polymer recovery and advanced materials

The Faculty of Chemistry and the Faculty of Automotive and Construction Machinery Engineering at Warsaw University of Technology are seeking universities, research institutes and industrial companies from Norway and Iceland to establish a consortium for the POLNORIS programme.

Our project focuses on developing innovative technologies supporting the circular economy through the recycling of end-of-life photovoltaic (PV) modules, with particular emphasis on the recovery and valorisation of valuable polymer fractions such as EVA, PVF (Tedlar®) and PET.

Current PV recycling technologies rely mainly on thermal treatment. During pyrolysis, EVA encapsulant and PVF backsheet materials decompose into greenhouse gases, while PVF degradation may generate hazardous fluorinated compounds. Existing technologies also fail to recover polymer fractions in a form suitable for high-value reuse, resulting in most polymer waste being incinerated or landfilled.

The proposed project aims to develop an environmentally friendly and economically viable recycling process enabling efficient recovery of high-quality polymer materials from photovoltaic modules. The objective is to create an integrated technological solution covering disassembly, separation, purification and reuse of polymer fractions while minimizing environmental impact.

The project will investigate innovative methods for recovering EVA, PVF and PET, allowing these materials to be reintroduced into industrial value chains. Recovered polymers could be applied in the production of new photovoltaic components, barrier and insulating materials, automotive parts, aviation components, printed circuit boards, waterproofing membranes and other high-value engineering products.

Unlike currently available solutions, the proposed technology aims to recover several valuable material streams within a single integrated process. The target is to recover and valorise up to 90% of the material fractions contained in photovoltaic modules while significantly reducing waste generation and greenhouse gas emissions.

The project will include research on:

• advanced photovoltaic module delamination,

• recovery and purification of polymer materials,

• valorisation of recycled polymers,

• development of functional materials from secondary raw materials,

• physicochemical characterisation of recovered materials,

• process optimisation and scale-up,

• life cycle assessment (LCA),

• techno-economic analysis,

• pilot-scale validation and industrial implementation.

Our consortium combines expertise in chemical engineering, materials science and mechanical engineering. The research team has extensive experience in recycling technologies, physical chemistry, polymer processing, thermophysical characterisation, separation technologies and industrial R&D. We offer well-equipped laboratories and strong experience in national and international collaborative research projects.

We are looking for academic and industrial partners with expertise in:

• photovoltaic technologies,

• polymer science,

• recycling and circular economy,

• advanced materials,

• environmental engineering,

• pilot-scale validation,

• life cycle assessment,

• industrial implementation and commercialization.

We particularly welcome partners experienced in photovoltaic manufacturing, recycling technologies, advanced polymer processing or sustainable materials who are interested in jointly shaping the project concept and preparing a competitive POLNORIS proposal.