Lithium Universe (ASX:LU7) said that a test program, conducted by its partner Macquarie University, found that by machining solar panel electrodes in sharp conical shapes, its research team boosted recycling performance and recovered silver more evenly, according to a Monday Australian bourse filing.

The program involved precision laser-cutting of solar silicon cells to expose the busbars and fine silver contacts. A controlled 5 volts potential was applied between the wafer and the jet, dissolving silver into a nitric electrolyte as silver nitrate via the jet electrochemical silver extraction method. The dissolved silver was then recovered through reverse electrochemical deposition onto a substrate, which was analyzed for recovery efficiency, distribution uniformity, impurity levels, and purity.

The research showed that nozzle geometry impacts efficiency, and sharp conical electrodes provided better performance, with improved recovery rates boosting recycling revenues and reducing metal waste.

The team looked at silver extraction nozzle designs to determine how recovery efficiency could be improved, including cylindrical, blunt-cone, and sharp-cone geometries.

The firm's shares jumped 8% in recent trading on Monday.