Patent ID: 9562296
Date: 2017-02-07
CPC Classifications: B22F,B82Y,C01B,C01P,C25C

Claim:
1. A method for producing silicon nanoparticles comprising: providing a molten salt electrolyte bath comprising an alkali metal halide, an alkaline earth metal halide or a mixture thereof, and containing silicon dioxide powders suspended therein; adding alkaline metal oxide or alkaline earth metal oxide to said electrolyte bath; placing a cathode above said electrolyte bath at a short distance spaced apart from a surface of said electrolyte bath; placing an inert oxygen evolution anode comprising conductive ceramic or conductive diamond in said electrolyte bath; electrically connecting said cathode and said anode to a DC power source; applying a DC voltage across said cathode and said anode through said electrolyte bath to generate cathodic discharge between said cathode and the surface of said electrolyte bath such that said silicon dioxide powders are electrochemically reduced to silicon nanoparticles; recovering the silicon nanoparticles produced in said electrolyte bath with the salt from said electrolyte bath; and recovering the solidified salt by a water washing to obtain the produced silicon nanoparticles.