Stability assessment of layer-by-layer nanofiltration membranes for element recovery from highly acidic media
Loading...
Author (Corporation)
Publication date
01.2026
Typ of student thesis
Course of study
Collections
Type
01A - Journal article
Editors
Editor (Corporation)
Supervisor
Parent work
Resources, Conservation and Recycling
Special issue
DOI of the original publication
Link
Series
Series number
Volume
225
Issue / Number
Pages / Duration
108630
Patent number
Publisher / Publishing institution
Elsevier
Place of publication / Event location
Edition
Version
Programming language
Assignee
Practice partner / Client
Abstract
The recovery of critical raw materials such as indium (In) and silver (Ag) from end-of-life thin-film photovoltaics is essential for supporting the growing demand for renewable energy technologies. This study evaluates the acid stability of layer-by-layer nanofiltration (LbL-NF) membranes for metal recovery from acidic leachates to identify a sustainable alternative to conventional methods. Among various configurations, sPES(PAH/PSS)₄ membranes exhibited outstanding resistance and long-term stability (> 300 h) in 5 % HNO₃, which potentially enables the recovery of 9100 g In and 6600 g Ag per m² of membrane. A life cycle assessment indicated a 34 %–46 % reduction in the global warming potential (GWP) of recycled Ag and a 40 %–50 % reduction for recycled In compared with the supply mix under modelled conditions. For Ag, the GWP was 137 g and 123 g CO₂-eq/g at 70 % and 80 % LbL-NF permeate recovery, respectively. For In, the GWP was 50 g and 55 g CO₂-eq/g at 70 % and 80 % recovery, respectively. These results highlight the climate benefits of LbL-NF membranes in circular resource recovery from end-of-life photovoltaics, which helps to identify key hotspots for optimisation and scale-up.
Keywords
Subject (DDC)
Event
Exhibition start date
Exhibition end date
Conference start date
Conference end date
Date of the last check
ISBN
ISSN
0921-3449
Language
English
Created during FHNW affiliation
Yes
Strategic action fields FHNW
Zero Emission
Publication status
Published
Review
Peer review of the complete publication
Open access category
Hybrid
License
Citation
Rohrer, K., Amrein, M., Rocco, D., Müller, T., Hengevoss, D., Vallat, B., Thomann, M., Hedwig, S., & Lenz, M. (2026). Stability assessment of layer-by-layer nanofiltration membranes for element recovery from highly acidic media. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 225, 108630. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108630