Platinized counter-electrodes for dye-sensitised solar cells from waste thermocouples: A case study for resource efficiency, industrial symbiosis and circular economy
By Charles, Rhys G.; Douglas, Peter; Baker, Jenny A.; Carnie, Matthew J.; Douglas, James O.; Penney, David J.; Watson, Trystan M.
Published in Journal of Cleaner Production
2018
Abstract
A study of a local industrial symbiosis involving the recovery of platinum from waste thermocouples which is then used for the preparation of catalytic electrodes suitable for dye-sensitized solar cell production is reported. The small quantity of platinum in the filaments of used thermocouples, thousands of which are discarded each year by metal foundries, can be economically recovered by conversion to chloroplatinic acid hydrate, an