2026 Volume 69 Issue 5 Pages 285-293
Because of the widespread occurrence, persistence, and toxicity of organofluorine compounds, increasing attention has been paid to degradation process of them. Therefore, it is necessary to develop technologies for the decomposition of C–F chemical bonds. In addition, with the large-scale use of solar panels and the increasing adoption of renewable energy, the recycling and reuse of discarded solar panels have also become an important challenge. This study focuses on silicon contained in discarded solar panels and investigates its application as a reducing agent in the hydrodefluorination of organofluorine compounds. Optimization of the reaction conditions demonstrated that powdered silicon serves as an effective reducing agent for the hydrodefluorination of benzotrifluorides when TBAF-3H2O or TBAOH is used as the promoter. Combined with analyses, including XPS, XRD, SEM/EDS, and N2 adsorption-desorption isotherm measurements, the reaction mechanism was elucidated, including the reaction events occurring on the surface and within the bulk of the metallic silicon reductant.
