Biodegradable chelator–biosorbent synergy enables the closed-loop recovery of end-of-life perovskite solar cells

Abstract

The commercial deployment of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) is critically hindered by lead (Pb) toxicity and the absence of sustainable end-of-life management strategies. Here, we report a closed-loop, environmentally benign recovery platform for end-of-life PSCs that eliminates the reliance on hazardous organic solvents. By synergizing biodegradable chelator-assisted extraction with biosorption, this aqueous process enables the selective extraction of Pb from the perovskite layer using an aminopolycarboxylate chelator. The process subsequently captures >99% of the dissolved Pb using a proline-incorporated, dithiocarbamate-modified cellulose biosorbent via strong Pb–S coordination. Crucially, both the chelator and the biosorbent are stable for multiple reuse cycles, significantly minimizing the chemical consumption and secondary waste. Concurrently, the process facilitates the recovery of high-purity metallic gold (Au) through mechanical delamination and thermal treatments, and enables the direct recycling of intact TiO₂/FTO/glass substrates, yielding refabricated devices with no performance degradations. A module-scale validation conducted using flexible PSCs reduced the residual Pb concentrations well below the regulatory discharge limits, demonstrating a scalable pathway for the sustainable management of end-of-life perovskite photovoltaics.