METHOD FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PURE SILICON METAL AND AMORPHOUS SILICA BY REDUCTION OF QUARTZ (SIO2)

摘要

Method for the manufacture of pure silicon metal for use in solar panels and amorphous silica as an additive for paints and other chemical products by reduction of quartz in a single step. Powdered quartz with a grain size d50< 35 m is introduced in a plasma furnace and reduced in one step by a suitable reduction agent, the powdered quartz being charged to the furnace by means of a carrier gas or by means of a gaseous reduction agent. The reduction agent is typically methane, hydrogen or natural gas, optionally in combination with powdered carbon. The invention furthermore concerns pure silicon and amorphous silica manufactured by the method.