Process for the production of Ge by reduction of GeCl4 with liquid metal
AssigneeUmicore AG & Co. KG
InventorsEric Robert, Tjakko Zijlema
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Abstract
The invention relates to the manufacture of high purity germanium for the manufacture of e.g. infra red optics, radiation detectors and electronic devices. GeCl4 is converted to Ge metal by contacting gaseous GeCl4 with a liquid metal M containing one of Zn, Na and Mg, thereby obtaining a Ge-bearing alloy and a metal M chloride, which is removed by evaporation or skimming. The Ge-bearing alloy is then purified at a temperature above the boiling point of metal M. This process does not require complicated technologies and preserves the high purity of the GeCl4 in the final Ge metal, as the only reactant is metal M, which can be obtained in very high purity grades and continuously recycled.
Claims8
Process for converting GeCl4 into Ge metal, comprising the steps of:
- contacting gaseous GeCl4 with a liquid metal phase containing Zn, thereby obtaining reduced Ge and Zn-chloride, at a temperature such that the reduced Ge dissolves in the liquid metal phase and with an amount such that the liquid metal phase contains between 20-60 wt. % Ge;
- separating the Zn-chloride from the Ge-bearing liquid metal phase;
- and
- purifying the Ge-bearing liquid metal phase at a temperature above the boiling point of Zn, thereby vaporizing Zn and obtaining Ge metal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.