# Researchers in Australia found stainless steel can recover 93% of the silver from old solar panels *Canonical page:* https://truthscore.com/source/29ae828e *Machine twins:* https://truthscore.com/source/29ae828e.md · JSON at https://truthscore.com/api/v1 Publisher: Yahoo News · published 2026-08-10 · read 2026-09-06 Original: https://www.yahoo.com/news/science/articles/researchers-australia-found-stainless-steel-110000309.html?guccounter=2 *A source is testimony, not proof. The document itself is never republished here.* ## Who is named (13) - [copper cathode](https://truthscore.com/entity/07dfd965) - [world silver reserves](https://truthscore.com/entity/10e8332f) - [nitric‑acid‑based electrolyte](https://truthscore.com/entity/13812d78) - [PV Industries](https://truthscore.com/entity/2cdb6ca5) - [graphite](https://truthscore.com/entity/46014604) - [silver deposit](https://truthscore.com/entity/5a9302ea) - [silver](https://truthscore.com/entity/7681fcf6) - [University of Newcastle](https://truthscore.com/entity/903f7f7f) - [CSIRO Energy](https://truthscore.com/entity/958e0366) - [316L stainless steel](https://truthscore.com/entity/a5411f26) - [Electrochimica Acta](https://truthscore.com/entity/b83ca46c) - [old solar panels](https://truthscore.com/entity/bfcadc60) - [PV module](https://truthscore.com/entity/cefbd8cf) ## What it added - [Old solar panels contain only a tiny amount of silver by weight.](https://truthscore.com/claim/83dbb12e) > Old solar panels contain only a tiny amount of silver by weight - [That small fraction of silver carries enormous value.](https://truthscore.com/claim/80eb318a) > that small fraction carries enormous value - [Stainless steel could offer a practical way to recover much of silver instead of letting it go to waste.](https://truthscore.com/claim/3da5c570) > Australian researchers say stainless steel could offer a practical way to recover much of that metal instead of letting it go to waste, according to a study covered by pv magazine - [The study brought together researchers from the University of Newcastle, CSIRO Energy, and PV Industries to examine how electrochemical conditions shape silver…](https://truthscore.com/claim/45e058d6) > The study brought together researchers from the University of Newcastle in Australia, CSIRO Energy, and PV Industries to examine how electrochemical conditions shape silver recovery from end-of-life solar modules - [The work was published in Electrochimica Acta.](https://truthscore.com/claim/1c5cca48) > The work was published in Electrochimica Acta under the title: "A parametric analysis of electrochemical variables in silver recovery for solar module recycling." - [The team compared silver, 316L stainless steel, copper, and graphite as cathodes while focusing on electrode material, current density, and copper…](https://truthscore.com/claim/c811f645) > Using a nitric-acid-based electrolyte meant to mimic dissolved silver from recycled solar cells, the team compared silver, 316L stainless steel, copper, and graphite as cathodes while focusing on three variables: electrode material, current density, and copper contamination. - [Silver represents only around 0.03% of the weight of a complete PV module.](https://truthscore.com/claim/b0ec1061) > "Although silver represents only around 0.03% of the weight of a complete PV module - [Silver accounts for half of the material value of a PV module.](https://truthscore.com/claim/4c43619b) > it accounts for half of the material value - [85–95% of the world’s silver reserves could be locked away in PV modules by 2050 if current trends continue.](https://truthscore.com/claim/b845bae9) > "85–95% of the world's silver reserves could be locked away in PV modules by 2050." - [Graphite failed to produce a consistently stable silver deposit.](https://truthscore.com/claim/7fc93f3c) > Graphite failed to produce a consistently stable silver deposit - [The copper cathode dissolved into the electrolyte during deposition.](https://truthscore.com/claim/b9655a6b) > the copper cathode dissolved into the electrolyte during deposition - [316L stainless steel came close to matching silver itself.](https://truthscore.com/claim/69f802c3) > while 316L stainless steel came close to matching silver itself - [Recovery improved as current density increased, up to -35 mA cm⁻².](https://truthscore.com/claim/a38f18b5) > Recovery improved as current density increased, but only up to -35 mA cm⁻²; - [Beyond -35 mA cm⁻², performance deteriorated.](https://truthscore.com/claim/8492948e) > beyond that level, performance deteriorated. - [The study helps pinpoint operating conditions that could make large‑scale silver recovery more reliable.](https://truthscore.com/claim/b993df57) > The study helps pinpoint the operating conditions that could make large-scale silver recovery more reliable - [Stainless steel stands out as a stable candidate among the materials tested.](https://truthscore.com/claim/fbe05eca) > and stainless steel stands out as a stable candidate among the materials tested - [Higher current density increased recovery and Faradaic efficiency to a point.](https://truthscore.com/claim/a71025a9) > Higher current density increased recovery and Faradaic efficiency to a point - [Copper in the solution changed the electrochemical behavior and influenced the shape of the silver deposit.](https://truthscore.com/claim/0c90739e) > while copper in the solution changed the electrochemical behavior and influenced the shape of the silver deposit - [Recovered silver showed no evidence of copper co‑deposition at the concentrations tested.](https://truthscore.com/claim/965fee59) > At the concentrations tested, the recovered silver showed no evidence of copper co-deposition. - [Stainless steel delivered comparable performance to silver, achieving an average recovery rate of 93% and a Faradaic efficiency of 92%, while offering greater…](https://truthscore.com/claim/74e6ae23) > "It was found that stainless steel delivered comparable performance to silver, achieving an average recovery rate of 93% and a Faradaic efficiency of 92%, while offering greater stability and avoiding contamination of the deposited silver," the researchers reported ## What it cost Reading this document into the graph cost <$0.01.