Lithium Universe Ltd (ASX:LU7, OTC:LUVSF) and its research partners at Macquarie University have announced a major advance in their solar panel recycling program, unveiling a new electrode design that sharply improves silver recovery efficiency.
The breakthrough centres on the geometry of the electrode tip used in the company’s Jet Electrochemical Silver Extraction (JESE) process — part of Lithium Universe’s broader Electro-Jet (EJ) recycling platform. Laboratory tests found that machining electrodes into sharp conical shapes significantly increased silver removal rates, reduced waste and improved material purity, without raising energy consumption.
“By sharpening electrode tips, our team has demonstrated a more efficient, higher-quality and lower-cost method of recovering silver from end-of-life solar panels,” said executive chairman Iggy Tan. “This advancement strengthens our Electro-Jet recycling technology, positioning us to make large-scale solar-panel recycling both commercially viable and environmentally critical.”
Summary of Test Program
Precision design boosts recovery
The test program, led by Dr Binesh Puthen Veettil and Dr David Payne at Macquarie, compared cylindrical, blunt-cone and sharp-cone electrode geometries.
Electrode Tip Shapes Under Tests
Results showed the 45-degree sharp-cone design achieved up to 75% silver removal in just three minutes under standard operating conditions — a marked improvement over traditional electrodes.
Sharper tips produced a more uniform silver removal pattern, cut edge residues dramatically and preserved adhesion between silver and aluminium, allowing the underlying wafer to remain intact for reuse.
A sharp cone electrode creates a wider uniform electric field compared to conventional cylinder tip
Researchers explained that electric charge naturally concentrates at sharp points, allowing the conical electrodes to focus current precisely on silver-rich zones while maintaining energy efficiency.
Commercial and environmental benefits
Lithium Universe said the innovation translates directly into higher recovery rates, cleaner separation and faster processing times — all key to making photovoltaic recycling economically attractive. Silver accounts for nearly half the raw-material cost of a solar cell, so improving recovery yields can substantially lift recycling revenue while reducing reliance on primary mining.
The discovery complements Lithium Universe’s earlier acquisition of Macquarie’s Microwave Joule Heating Technology (MJHT) and reinforces its goal to close the loop in renewable-energy materials. The company’s PV-recycling program runs parallel with its plan to build a green lithium-carbonate refinery in Québec, targeting battery-grade production for North America’s electric-vehicle sector.
Silver market tailwinds
The timing is favourable: silver prices recently hit US$47 per ounce, up almost 50% year-on-year amid record industrial demand from solar manufacturing, electronics, EVs and AI data centres.
With mine supply flat and recycling volumes limited, efficient recovery technologies like Lithium Universe’s EJ platform could play a crucial role in meeting future demand.