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Curtin find could slash energy use and cost in making silicon
Curtin University researchers have uncovered a method of making silicon, found commonly in electronics such as phones, cameras and computers, at room temperature.
The new technique works by replacing extreme heat with electrical currents to produce the same chemical reaction that turns silica into silicon at a reduced economic and environmental cost.
Lead researcher, PhD candidate Song Zhang from Curtin’s School of Molecular and Life Sciences said that while the team’s discovery was made at the nanoscale, it defines a way of replacing thermochemical processes with electrochemical processes, which can efficiently convert into clean electricity.