Preparation of Silicon Tetrachloride by Chlorination of Silicon

The chlorination of a metallurgical-grade silicon was carried out in a fluidized bed reactor, 25 mm in diameter. The flow rate of the chlorine admitted into the reactor was 0.2 L/min and that of the carrier nitrogen was 0.8 similar to 1.0 L/min. The reactor temperature was maintained at 450 degrees C and the temperature of the coolant at the SiCl4 condenser was at -5 degrees C. The SiCl4 yield increased with increasing the mole fraction of chlorine in the feed gas, exhibiting 28% at the mole fraction of 0.2. Further increase of the chlorine mole fraction was not attempted in a worry that the reactor might be failed due to the high exothermicity of the reaction. The production of SiCl4 from silicon by fluidized bed chlorination was demonstrated on a laboratory scale, which is a stepping stone for future studies under more severe conditions toward industrial application.