Internship | Wafer recovery for recycling from laser-delaminated solar panels

Internship | Wafer recovery for recycling from laser-delaminated solar panels — Make your mark on our time. Become an intern at TNO!

• Location: Eindhoven
• Work arrangement: On-site
• Education level: Master
• Working hours: 32-40 hours/week

About this position

The topic is recycling of photovoltaic (PV) modules. A PV module is a stack made up of the PV material (as well as metallisation, connections etc), encapsulated with polymer or glass sheets on both sides. Since PV modules contain both valuable and toxic elements, developing efficient recycling processes is becoming absolutely essential in a context where the installed PV capacity is exponentially increasing and a very large amount of PV modules will reach their end of life in the very near future.

In this context, we have developed a very successful laser-based process that opens up the PV moule stack.

The research will take place at TNO on the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven

What will be your role?

The main focus of the assignment is on recovering the wafer pieces from the open stack (i.e., after glass and encapsulant delamination), to access the valuable silver and high purity silicon. For this, we are exploring different routes, both chemical and mechanical/physical.

The details of the assignment can be tailored to the student to some extent, but the activities will include developing different wafer separation methods as well as characterisation of materials and interfaces (e.g., SEM/EDS, optical microscopy, peel testing, DSC, TGA, etc), analysing the data, formulating hypotheses and designing new experiments to test them.

The work is divided between hands-on experiments and data analysis/interpretation. The ratio between experiments and analysis can be tuned, to some extent, to the candidate’s abilities/preferences.

What we expect from you

• A background in chemistry or material science
• Good hands-on skills, including with (light) chemistry
• High motivation, with a curious nature and a taste for problem-solving
• Good communication skills, to exchange with the team, present your results weekly, and gather the information needed to tackle specific challenges
• The duration of this project should be minimum 3-4 months, preferably 6+, and preferably in the MSc phase of your studies
• You need to be affiliated with a university during the internship for eligibility
• The research will take place at TNO on the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven

What you'll get in return

An internship at TNO means working in an environment where substance and impact are central. You will become part of a knowledge organisation where research and practice come together, and where experts collaborate on solutions to current societal and technological challenges.

Your internship is a period in which you can discover what suits you, where your strengths lie and what you would like to learn next. You are part of a professional working environment, gain insight into how things work in practice, and have the opportunity to build experience that goes beyond this internship alone. For many students, an internship is therefore also a first step in discovering whether TNO could be a potential next step after graduation.

In addition, we offer you:

• A professional and innovative internship environment in which you actively contribute to societal and technological challenges, working alongside leading experts in your field.
• Personal and dedicated supervision, with focus on your learning objectives, development and study assignment.
• Room to develop: you gain relevant work experience, develop both your subject-specific and professional skills, and build a valuable network.
• Use of a laptop and the facilities you need to perform your work effectively.
• A monthly internship allowance of € 615 for a full-time internship, for MSc, BSc and vocational education (MBO) students.
• Up to eight hours of leave per internship month for a full-time internship, allowing you to balance your internship with your studies and personal life.
• A contribution towards travel expenses if you are not entitled to a student travel card.
• A free membership to Jong TNO: the network for young colleagues, where you can meet other TNO colleagues and participate in sports activities, professional and personal development activities, and social events such as the annual ski trip.

Important information

• TNO will arrange an appropriate internship agreement.
• If you start an internship with us, we will also ask you to provide a Certificate of Conduct (VOG).
• Before the start of the internship, an internship agreement must be signed.
• Before the start of the internship, the educational institution will need to confirm in writing that you are enrolled at the educational institution for the duration of the internship, and the internship forms part of your study programme.
• Interns at TNO must have a registered residential address in the Netherlands at the start of the internship. Carrying out internship activities from abroad is not possible.
• Are you an international student? Please note that you must have a BSN (Dutch citizen service number) before the start of your internship.