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US 2011/0256047 A1Published application
Cascading purification
Assignee6N Silicon Inc.
InventorsScott Nichol, Anthony Tummillo, Dan Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides a method of purifying a material using a cascading dissolution and washing process. The dissolution and washing processes can contain single or multiple stages. Water and dissolving chemicals are recycled through the process towards the beginning of the process.
Claims22
A method for increasing the purity of silicon, comprising:
- combining a first silicon-aluminum complex with a weak acid solution sufficiently to allow the first complex to react at least partially with the weak acid solution, to provide a first mixture;
- separating the first mixture, to provide a third silicon-aluminum complex and the weak acid solution;
- combining the third silicon-aluminum complex with a strong acid solution sufficiently to allow the third complex to react at least partially with the strong acid solution, to provide a third mixture;
- separating the third mixture, to provide a first silicon and the strong acid solution;
- combining the first silicon with a first rinse solution, to provide a fourth mixture;
- separating the fourth mixture, to provide a wet purified silicon and the first rinse solution;
- drying the wet purified silicon, sufficient to provide a dry purified silicon.
4 more elements
A method for increasing the purity of silicon, comprising:
- combining a first silicon-aluminum complex with a weak acid solution sufficiently to allow the first complex to react at least partially with the weak acid solution, to provide a first mixture;
- separating the first mixture, to provide a third silicon-aluminum complex and the weak acid solution;
- combining the third silicon-aluminum complex with a strong acid solution sufficiently to allow the third complex to react at least partially with the strong acid solution, to provide a third mixture;
- separating the third mixture, to provide a first silicon and the strong acid solution;
- combining the first silicon with a first rinse solution, to provide a fourth mixture;
- separating the fourth mixture, to provide a wet purified silicon and the first rinse solution;
- drying the wet purified silicon, sufficient to provide a dry purified silicon;
- removing portions of the weak HCl solution from the weak HCl solution to maintain the pH and specific gravity of the weak HCl solution;
- transferring portions of strong HCl solution to the weak HCl solution to maintain the pH of the weak HCl solution, the volume of the weak HCl solution, the specific gravity of the medium HCl solution, or a combination thereof;
- adding portions of a bulk HCl solution to the strong HCl solution to maintain the pH of the strong HCl solution, the volume of the strong HCl solution, the specific gravity of the strong HCl solution, or a combination thereof;
- transferring portions of the first rinse solution to the strong HCl solution to maintain the pH of the strong HCl solution, the volume of the strong HCl solution, the specific gravity of the strong HCl solution, or a combination thereof;
- adding fresh water to the second rinse solution to maintain the volume of the second rinse solution.
9 more elements
A method for increasing the purity of silicon, comprising:
- combining a first silicon-aluminum complex with a weak HCl solution sufficiently to allow the first complex to react at least partially with the weak HCl solution, to provide a first mixture;
- separating the first mixture, to provide a second silicon-aluminum complex and weak HCl solution;
- combining the second silicon-aluminum complex with a medium HCl solution sufficiently to allow the second complex to react at least partially with the medium HCl solution, to provide a second mixture;
- separating the second mixture, to provide a third silicon-aluminum complex and a medium HCl solution;
- combining the third silicon-aluminum complex with a strong HCl solution sufficiently to allow the third complex to react at least partially with the strong HCl solution, to provide a third mixture;
- separating the third mixture, to provide a first silicon and a strong HCl solution;
- combining the first silicon with a first rinse solution, to provide a fourth mixture;
- separating the fourth mixture, to provide a second silicon and a first rinse solution;
- combining the second silicon with a second rinse solution, to provide a fifth mixture;
- separating the fifth mixture, to provide a wet purified silicon and a second rinse solution;
- drying the wet purified silicon, sufficient to provide a dry purified silicon;
- removing portions of the weak HCl solution from the weak HCl solution to maintain the pH and specific gravity of the weak HCl solution;
- transferring portions of medium HCl solution to the weak HCl solution to maintain the pH of the weak HCl solution, the volume of the weak HCl solution, the specific gravity of the weak HCl solution, or a combination thereof;
- transferring portions of strong HCl solution to the medium HCl solution to maintain the pH of the medium HCl solution, the volume of the medium HCl solution, the specific gravity of the medium HCl solution, or a combination thereof;
- adding portions of a bulk HCl solution to the strong HCl solution to maintain the pH of the strong HCl solution, the volume of the strong HCl solution, the specific gravity of the strong HCl solution, or a combination thereof;
- transferring portions of the first rinse solution to the strong HCl solution to maintain the pH of the strong HCl solution, the volume of the strong HCl solution, the specific gravity of the strong HCl solution, or a combination thereof;
- transferring portions of the second rinse solution to the first rinse solution to maintain the volume of the first rinse solution;
- adding fresh water to the second rinse solution to maintain the volume of the second rinse solution.
15 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.