Pyrolytic Behavior of Photovoltaic Modules
Research Article
Open Access
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Pyrolytic Behavior of Photovoltaic Modules

Yufei Zhang 1*
1 Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
*Corresponding author: 1253418652@qq.com
Published on 4 July 2025
Journal Cover
ACE Vol.172
ISSN (Print): 2755-273X
ISSN (Online): 2755-2721
ISBN (Print): 978-1-80590-221-8
ISBN (Online): 978-1-80590-222-5
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Abstract

With the rapid development of the photovoltaic industry, many early photovoltaic modules have been reduced in photoelectric conversion efficiency and have entered the end-of-life stage, resulting in a large amount of resource waste. How to realize its resource recovery has become an urgent environmental and technical problem. Although there have been many studies on the recycling of PV devices, they are still industrialized. This is because there is no summarized discourse on the current development. This paper summarizes the structural composition of crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules and the pyrolysis behavior of the main materials, focuses on the decomposition characteristics of EVA encapsulation materials and backsheets under two atmospheres of nitrogen pyrolysis and air combustion, and explores the reaction mechanism, product distribution and synergistic effect in the pyrolysis process. The research progress of the co-pyrolysis strategy in enhancing the resource recovery efficiency and reducing the generation of harmful products is further summarized. This paper provides theoretical references for optimizing the heat treatment parameters and designing green and efficient recycling process, which is of some guiding significance for constructing a low-carbon recycling system of photovoltaic.

Keywords:

Photovoltaic module, Nitrogen pyrolysis, Air pyrolysis, Backsheet, Co-pyrolysis

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Zhang,Y. (2025). Pyrolytic Behavior of Photovoltaic Modules. Applied and Computational Engineering,172,11-17.

References

[1]. Clean Energy Reviews. Solar Panel Components & Construction [EB/OL]. https: //www.cleanenergyreviews.info/blog/solar-panel-components-construction, 2023.

[2]. Xu C, Zhang Y. Degradation and recycling of encapsulation materials in photovoltaic modules: A review [J]. Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 2024, 259: 112154.

[3]. Mahmud M, Huda N, Farjana S. A review of degradation mechanisms of EVA encapsulant in photovoltaic modules [J]. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2022, 143: 110888.

[4]. Zhang W, Li H, Liu F. Weather resistance analysis of backsheet materials for PV modules [J]. Renewable Energy, 2023, 215: 118–126.

[5]. Zhang X, Sun Y, et al. Advances in crystalline silicon solar cell technology for industrial mass production [J]. Nature Materials, 2010, 9(6): 454–458.

[6]. IEA-PVPS. End-of-Life Management of Photovoltaic Panels: Trends in PV Module Recycling Technologies [R]. International Energy Agency, 2022.

[7]. Farrell C., Osman A.I., Harrison J., et al. Pyrolysis Kinetic Modeling of a Poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) Encapsulant Found in Waste Photovoltaic Modules. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 2021, 60(35): 12982–12992. DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.1c01989.

[8]. Tao R., Li B., Wu Y., Zhang W., Yuan H., Gu J., Chen Y. Pyrolysis mechanism and recycling strategy of end-of-life photovoltaic modules based on the experiment and the density functional theory. Polymer Degradation and Stability, 2023, 217: 110545. DOI: 10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2023.110545.

[9]. Huang Q., Zhang Y., Zhang M., et al. Thermal separation of plastic components from waste crystalline silicon solar cells: Thermogravimetric characteristics and thermokinetics. Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association, 2023, 73(11): 853–864. DOI: 10.1080/10962247.2023.2262426.

[10]. Farrell C., Osman A.I., Zhang X., et al. Assessment of the energy recovery potential of waste Photovoltaic modules. Scientific Reports, 2019, 9: 5267. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-41762-5.

[11]. Królikowski M., Fotek M., Żach P., Michałowski M. Development of a Recycling Process and Characterization of EVA, PVDF, and PET Polymers from End-of-Life PV Modules. Materials, 2024, 17(4): 821. DOI: 10.3390/ma17040821.

[12]. Wang R., Song E., Zhang C., et al. Pyrolysis-based separation mechanism for waste crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules by a two-stage heating treatment. RSC Advances, 2019, 9(35): 20352–20360.

[13]. Danz P., Aryan V., Möhle E., Nowara N. Experimental Study on Fluorine Release from Photovoltaic Backsheet Materials Containing PVF and PVDF during Pyrolysis and Incineration in a Technical Lab-Scale Reactor at Various Temperatures. Toxics, 2019, 7(3): 47.​

[14]. Chen X, Liu J, Lin Z, et al. Reutilizing waste photovoltaic plastics by pyrolysis: Dynamics, thermodynamics, mechanisms, products, and optimization [J]. Fuel, 2025, 384: 134005.

[15]. Zhang Y, Gu J, Wu B, et al. Thermochemical recycling of end-of-life photovoltaic laminates using pyrolysis: Interaction mechanisms and fluorine migration and transformation [J]. Resources, Conservation & Recycling, 2025, 219: 108312.

References

[1]. Clean Energy Reviews. Solar Panel Components & Construction [EB/OL]. https: //www.cleanenergyreviews.info/blog/solar-panel-components-construction, 2023.

[2]. Xu C, Zhang Y. Degradation and recycling of encapsulation materials in photovoltaic modules: A review [J]. Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 2024, 259: 112154.

[3]. Mahmud M, Huda N, Farjana S. A review of degradation mechanisms of EVA encapsulant in photovoltaic modules [J]. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2022, 143: 110888.

[4]. Zhang W, Li H, Liu F. Weather resistance analysis of backsheet materials for PV modules [J]. Renewable Energy, 2023, 215: 118–126.

[5]. Zhang X, Sun Y, et al. Advances in crystalline silicon solar cell technology for industrial mass production [J]. Nature Materials, 2010, 9(6): 454–458.

[6]. IEA-PVPS. End-of-Life Management of Photovoltaic Panels: Trends in PV Module Recycling Technologies [R]. International Energy Agency, 2022.

[7]. Farrell C., Osman A.I., Harrison J., et al. Pyrolysis Kinetic Modeling of a Poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) Encapsulant Found in Waste Photovoltaic Modules. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 2021, 60(35): 12982–12992. DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.1c01989.

[8]. Tao R., Li B., Wu Y., Zhang W., Yuan H., Gu J., Chen Y. Pyrolysis mechanism and recycling strategy of end-of-life photovoltaic modules based on the experiment and the density functional theory. Polymer Degradation and Stability, 2023, 217: 110545. DOI: 10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2023.110545.

[9]. Huang Q., Zhang Y., Zhang M., et al. Thermal separation of plastic components from waste crystalline silicon solar cells: Thermogravimetric characteristics and thermokinetics. Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association, 2023, 73(11): 853–864. DOI: 10.1080/10962247.2023.2262426.

[10]. Farrell C., Osman A.I., Zhang X., et al. Assessment of the energy recovery potential of waste Photovoltaic modules. Scientific Reports, 2019, 9: 5267. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-41762-5.

[11]. Królikowski M., Fotek M., Żach P., Michałowski M. Development of a Recycling Process and Characterization of EVA, PVDF, and PET Polymers from End-of-Life PV Modules. Materials, 2024, 17(4): 821. DOI: 10.3390/ma17040821.

[12]. Wang R., Song E., Zhang C., et al. Pyrolysis-based separation mechanism for waste crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules by a two-stage heating treatment. RSC Advances, 2019, 9(35): 20352–20360.

[13]. Danz P., Aryan V., Möhle E., Nowara N. Experimental Study on Fluorine Release from Photovoltaic Backsheet Materials Containing PVF and PVDF during Pyrolysis and Incineration in a Technical Lab-Scale Reactor at Various Temperatures. Toxics, 2019, 7(3): 47.​

[14]. Chen X, Liu J, Lin Z, et al. Reutilizing waste photovoltaic plastics by pyrolysis: Dynamics, thermodynamics, mechanisms, products, and optimization [J]. Fuel, 2025, 384: 134005.

[15]. Zhang Y, Gu J, Wu B, et al. Thermochemical recycling of end-of-life photovoltaic laminates using pyrolysis: Interaction mechanisms and fluorine migration and transformation [J]. Resources, Conservation & Recycling, 2025, 219: 108312.

Cite this article

Zhang,Y. (2025). Pyrolytic Behavior of Photovoltaic Modules. Applied and Computational Engineering,172,11-17.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.

About volume

Volume title: Proceedings of CONF-FMCE 2025 Symposium: Semantic Communication for Media Compression and Transmission

ISBN: 978-1-80590-221-8(Print) / 978-1-80590-222-5(Online)
Editor: Anil Fernando
Conference website: https://2025.conffmce.org/glasgow.html
Conference date: 24 October 2025
Series: Applied and Computational Engineering
Volume number: Vol.172
ISSN: 2755-2721(Print) / 2755-273X(Online)

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