Electrolytic process to silicides

摘要

An electrolytic process may be used to generate reactive metal silicides with Group 1 metals of the periodic table and/or Group 2 metals of the periodic table, and/or aluminum. Exemplary reactive metal silicides include magnesium silicide (Mg2Si).

主权项

1. A process comprising:
(i) heating a salt comprising (a) a halide of a metal of formula MXa, where M is selected from the group consisting of Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Fr, Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Ra, Al, and a combination thereof, subscript a is an integer of 1 or more, and each X is a halogen atom, thereby preparing a molten salt; (ii) introducing to the molten salt, a gas comprising a silane of formula HbSiX(4-b), where subscript b is an integer from 0 to 4, and passing an electric current through the molten salt, thereby producing an electrolysis product comprising a silicide of the metal.