Hydrogenated Porous Silicon
Silicon is a fairly common semi-metal that is used for batteries and solar systems.
After an accident at the Technical University of Munich in 2001 discovered the explosive power of hydrogenated porous silicon, this material later came into the focus of the weapons industry. The ignition speed and explosive power of the material exceeded many conventional explosives and offered potential for new weapons.
Properties
Material Characteristics
Silicon has a grey-black colour and a typical metallic, often bronze to bluish shine.
Physical & Chemical Properties
Hydrogenated Porous Silicon reacts with atmospheric oxygen and burns explosively
Compounds
silicon and hydrogen
Geology & Geography
Silicon can be obtained almost anywhere where sand exists and is a fairly common material. The same applies to hydrogen, one of the most common materials in the galaxy.
History & Usage
Industrial Use
Silicon is used in civil applications for the production of solar cells, batteries and electronic components.
Refinement
Traditionally, the Siemens process is used, in which silicon is first converted into trichlorosilane (silicochloroform) with gaseous hydrogen chloride at 300-350 °C in a fluidized bed reactor.
After several distillation steps, the trichlorosilane is thermally decomposed again in the presence of hydrogen in a reversal of the above reaction on heated ultrapure silicon rods at 1000-1200 °C.[23] The elementary silicon grows on the rods. The hydrogen chloride released in the process is returned to the cycle. The by-product is silicon tetrachloride, which is either converted to trichlorosilane and fed back into the process or burnt in the oxygen flame to fumed silica.
Byproducts & Sideproducts
In the Siemens process, 19 kg of waste and by-products are produced per kg of ultrapure silicon.
14pSi
Type
Metal
Density
2,336 g/cm3
Common State
Silicon is mainly found in various sand types, but can also be found in rock.
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