Silicon Production for Solar Panels
Overview
Silicon (Si) is the foundation of local solar panel production on Mercury.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Feedstock | Quartz sand SiO₂ (20% of Mercury’s crust) |
| Method | Aluminothermic reduction |
| Si consumption | ~70 t per 1 solar panel complex (35,000 m²) |
| Application | Solar panels (18% efficiency) |
Aluminothermic Reduction
Problem: The traditional method (SiO₂ + C → Si + CO₂) requires carbon, which Mercury lacks.
Solution: Aluminothermy — reduction using aluminum.
3SiO₂ + 4Al → 3Si + 2Al₂O₃| Advantage | Description |
|---|---|
| Local aluminum | From MRE electrolysis slag (see Distillation) |
| No carbon import | Full autonomy |
| Byproduct | Al₂O₃ (corundum) → ceramics, abrasives |
Stoichiometry: - Per 1 kg silicon: 1.3 kg aluminum - Byproduct: 2.4 kg corundum (Al₂O₃)
Production Chain
| Stage | Process | Materials | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quartz sand (SiO₂) | Local | 20% of Mercury’s crust |
| 2 | Aluminum | MRE slag | Already produced |
| 3 | Aluminothermy | Local | Solar furnace, 2000°C |
| 4 | Zone melting | — | Purification to solar grade |
| 5 | Czochralski method | Quartz crucible | Ingot ∅150 mm |
| 6 | Wire cutting | Diamond wire (Earth) | 200 μm wafers |
| 7 | P/B diffusion | Phosphorus + Boron (Earth) | p-n junction |
| 8 | Screen printing | Local aluminum | Contacts |
| 9 | SiNx deposition | Nitrogen (Earth) + Silane | Anti-reflection |
| 10 | Module assembly | Local aluminum | No glass needed (vacuum) |
Material Balance
For 35,000 m² of panels (1 complex):
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Import from Earth | ~210 kg (consumables) |
| Local aluminum | ~90 tons |
| Silicon | ~70 tons |
| Corundum (byproduct) | ~170 tons → ceramics |
| Finished panel mass | ~120 tons |
See Also
- Production — energy supply and solar panels
- Distillation — aluminum production for aluminothermy
- MRE — magnetic separation of elements