Science and Technology of Solar Silicon Production from Sarykol Quartz and Silicon Oxide – Solar Silicon Structures for Photovoltaic Application
Project Status: 3 Approved without Funding
Duration in months: 36 months
Objective
The Project aim. Within the framework of this project it is planned to research of properties of metallurgical-grade silicon and development of purification methods for metallurgical-grade silicon up to solar-grade silicon as well as the development of production technology of high-performance silicon solar cells, in the creation of technology of incorporation in structure of silicon solar cells quantum dot from nanoparticle metal oxides. Current status. The development of semiconductor photovoltaics (SPV) in Kazakhstan is certainly relevant, due to the facts that the country has one of the highest potential of solar energy around the globe and possesses significant reserves of the necessary silicon fields. For Kazakhstan to become a competitive manufacturer of such products as photovoltaic devices (PVD), which convert solar energy into electrical energy, solar panels and photovoltaic power plants, first of all, it is necessary to master and develop existing industrial technologies of obtaining metallurgical silicon (MG-Si), as well as to work out of methods for purification of MG-Si to solar-grade silicon which is necessary for production of PVD. The project’ influence on progress in this area. Therefore, the main concepts of the project are related to the research and development of methods for the production of MG-Si and solar-grade silicon, as well as creation of a PVD, based on these materials. Nowadays, a new technology for production of silicon using method of a direct reduction of quartzite is under development. There are huge reserves of quartz raw materials in Kazakhstan, which will be used for the production of metallurgical-grade silicon because the content of impurities in vein quartz of Sarykol field (Ushtobe, Kazakhstan) does not exceed 0.5%, which allows a production of MG-Siat the first stage, as well as production of solar-grade silicon by applying a higher processing of MG-Si. The research and development of direct methods for solar-grade silicon production and PVD manufacturing are important for creation and development of SPV in Kazakhstan. Expected results and their application. Based on knowledge, approaches and technologies for solar-grade silicon production which were obtained by the authors of submitted project over the past decades, a scientific basis of silicon production from Sarykol quartz will be developed as well as structures oxide semiconductors – silicon for SPV. Also, technology to increase the efficiency of silicon solar cells will be developed and offered.
The proposed project is different actuality and novelty, as a in international practice as well as in Kazakhstan. Promising areas of research is that the results obtained can be used not only for the creation of highly efficient silicon solar cells, but also in solving fundamental and applied problems of the science of combustion and solid state optoelectronics. Scope of activities. The following activities will be implemented under the project:
· Development of purification methods of initial metallurgical-grade silicon.
· Research of impurity composition of metallurgical-grade silicon, purified metallurgical-grade and solar-grade silicon.
· Development of and creation method for producing metal nanoparticles with predetermined properties in the flame.
· Improvement of methods for obtaining anti-reflection oxide coatings
· Development of technology for improving the efficiency of silicon solar cells by creating in the structure of solar cells quantum dots from of metal nanoparticles.
