Method for recycling silver present on a photovoltaic cell

A method for recycling silver present on a photovoltaic cell, comprising:

• a step a) of supplying a photovoltaic cell including:
• a support substrate comprising silicon and having a front face and a rear face;
• an upper layer of doped silicon, the upper layer having a doping type opposite to that of the support substrate, the upper layer arranged on the front face of the support substrate;
• a plurality of silver lines arranged on the upper layer;
• and
• at least one anti-reflective layer arranged on the upper layer and adjacent to the silver lines;
• a step b) of etching the anti-reflective layer by immersing the photovoltaic cell in an acid solution comprising hydrofluoric acid at a concentration of between 0.5% and 5% by weight based on a total weight of the acid solution, wherein the silver lines remain at least partially attached to the upper layer;
• a step c) of etching the upper layer by immersing the photovoltaic cell, devoid of the anti-reflective layer, in a basic solution, leading to the separation of the silver lines, wherein ultrasound is applied during all or part of step c) at a frequency between 40 kHz and 100 kHz;
• a step d) of drying the assembly formed by the support substrate and the separated silver lines;
• and
• a step e) of extracting the silver lines in the solid state.