"A Method Of Fabricating Structured Particles Composed Of Silicon Or A Silicon Based Material"

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for etching silicon to form pillars, which may be used as an anode material in a Li-ion battery; the process involves depositing silver onto silicon as part of the etching procedure. An etched silicon particle is shown in Figure 1. The silver present after the silicon has been etched can be removed by treatment with nitric acid. This removed silver can be recycled, thereby reducing the costs of the overall process. In one embodiment, the process comprises: - treating silicon, e.g. granules or bulk material, with an etching solution comprising HF, Ag+ ions and nitrate ions, thereby etching the silicon to form silicon having etched pillars on its surface; the silicon includes a surface deposit of silver, -separating the etched silicon from the spent etching solution, - dissolving the silver from the etched silicon using nitric acid to form a solution containing Ag+ ions and nitrate ions, - mixing the solution containing Ag+ ions and nitrate ions with further HF to form a further etching solution, and - using the further etching solution to treat further silicon.

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