Metallurgical upgrading of MG-Si toward monocrystalline silicon via slag refining and Czochralski growth


Aimaganbetov K. Serikkanov A. Bukhvalov D. Kishkenebayev M. Tokmoldin N.
15 June 2026Elsevier B.V.

Materials Letters
2026#413

An integrated metallurgical route is demonstrated for upgrading industrial metallurgical-grade silicon (MG-Si, 98.6% Si) into feedstock suitable for monocrystalline growth. The process involves slag refining using a CaO-SiO2-Na2CO3 flux to enhance boron removal, followed by acid leaching and subsequent crystal growth. The resulting monocrystalline ingot exhibits a uniform n-type resistivity of approximately 1.1 Ω·cm, minority carrier lifetimes exceeding 85 μs, and low residual impurity levels. These results show that metallurgically upgraded MG-Si is an effective feedstock for producing monocrystalline silicon with properties compatible with photovoltaic applications.

Boron removal , Czochralski crystal growth , Metallurgical silicon , Slag refining , Solar-grade silicon

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Institute of Physics and Technology, Satbayev University, Almaty, 050032, Kazakhstan
National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Almaty, 050010, Kazakhstan
College of Science, Institute of Materials Physics and Chemistry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, China
Institute of Energy and Mechanical Engineering, Satbayev University, Almaty, 050040, Kazakhstan
Institute of Physics and Astronomy, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, 14476, Germany

Institute of Physics and Technology
National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan
College of Science
Institute of Energy and Mechanical Engineering
Institute of Physics and Astronomy

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