Silicon and Silicon Alloys, Chemical and Metallurgical

Abstract

Silicon is a low density element having nonmetallic characteristics. The production of silicon from silica is discussed as is silicon refining technology. The primary uses of silicon are in the chemical, aluminum, and electronics industries. Silicon is the chemical precursor of silicones, a versatile, fast‐growing market, and of advanced ceramics such as silicon nitride. Silicon forms an integral part of the aluminum parts industry; aluminum–silicon alloys are readily cast. Silicon is also important to aluminum production. Silicon forms alloys with a large number of metallic elements. Many of these alloys are of utmost importance to the production and refining of irons and steels. The most prevalent are the ferrosilicons, production of which is discussed.

Ecodesign of ordered mesoporous silica materials

“…This carbothermic reduction of silicon dioxide is performed at T = 1800-2000 1C, well above the melting point of silicon (1700 1C). 104,105 The reaction is expressed as follows:…”

“…Remaining energy is lost, most of it in the form of by-product off-gas. 105 Second, carbon monoxide resulting from the silica reduction (eqn (6)) reacts with oxygen outside of the furnace to produce carbon dioxide (2CO + O 2 -2CO 2 ). Hence, this process results in a significant carbon dioxide emission with 4.5 tons of CO 2 per ton of silicon metal yielded.…”

The 1.7 Kilogram Microchip: Energy and Material Use in the Production of Semiconductor Devices

“…Table displays the results of the data search and analysis, from which it is clear that purification and wafer preparation stages are very energy intensive. Also, significant silicon losses along the chain suggest that 9.4 kg of raw silicon are needed per kg of final wafer, increasing the total energy demand to yield wafers ( − ). The main result is that 2130 kWh per kilogram is used in the production chain for silicon wafers, some 160 times the amount used to produce “raw” silicon.…”

Dimethyldichlorosilane and the Direct Synthesis of Methylchlorosilanes. The Key to the Silicones Industry

“…It was only in 1854 that crystalline silicon was first reported by Henri-Étienne Sainte-Claire Deville, who isolated it from aluminum melts in which it was present as an impurity (sometimes up to 10%) by treating the melt with hot hydrochloric acid . The first report of the reduction of silica by carbon at high temperatures was that of Henri Moissan, and it is this process (eq 2), carried out in an electric furnace using graphite electrodes at 3000 °C, which has served, since the beginning of the last century, for the large-scale production of silicon . When pure, white quartzite rock and a pure form of carbon are used, material of ∼98% purity is obtained.…”