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Silicon Bromide
Silicon Bromide
Silicon Bromide
Silicon Bromide
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Institutional Affiliation
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Introduction
of fourteen and a member of group fourteen in the periodic table. Other elements in group
fourteen are lead, carbon, germanium, and tin. Thus, it qualifies to form a tetravalent metalloid
because it has the characteristics to exist as a non-metal and a metal (Bloser, et al., 2012). A very
reactive element more than germanium. Silicon is one of the most commonly encountered
element in bulk, second to oxygen (Cui, Zhong, Wang, Wang & Lieber, 2003). Majority of
minerals and rocks contain silicon as a substance. For example, quartz, flint, amethyst, sand,
mica, opal, asbestos, garnet, tourmaline, aquamarine, emerald, zircon, talc, and feldspar. It is
mainly distributed by planetoids, planets, and dust as silicates or silica (silicon oxide). Over
seventy percent of earth’s crust is made up of deposits of silicon nutrients to make the chemical
By the early nineteenth century, silicon was discovered as an element. But there were
problems in preparing pure silicon because it has a high affinity for oxygen thus it attaches
strongly to oxygen. Conflict arising from the elements nature dates back to the nineteenth
century, where it was prepared and recognized in absolute form in 1824 by Swedish scientist
Jons Berzelius (Tsou, 2009). During the trials in 1810, it did not turn out because of the
Silicon reacts with bromine gas to produce silicon tetra-bromide. This is an inorganic
compound with a chemical formula of SiBr4. This colorless brown substance has an odor which
is suffocating. It can easily react with water to release hydrogen bromide. The persons who
discovered the element are Banerjee Chiranjib and John Belot. Silicon bromide is highly soluble
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in water producing crystals of bromides with lower pH value. Thus, metals of bromine are
marketed as AE bromides.
reactor system. Tri-bromosilane starts to form at 4000C which is thereafter accompanied by the
bromine.
Purification
The world will run out of its natural essentials in crude oil, but the techno-savvy economy
will be safe in the supply of silicon. Industrially silica is converted into pure silicon by heating it
with coal. In other terms, it can also be produced in large quantities by heating a mixture of
magnesium powder and silica sand passed through bromine gas. Silica produces oxygen which
reacts with magnesium to produce magnesium oxide leaving behind elemental silicon and silicon
tetra-bromide (Fragneto, Thomas, Rennie & Penfold, 2006). The byproducts of this reacting are
non-reacted magnesium, magnesium silicide, silicon, and silicon bromide. Purification of silica
results in an exothermic reaction when acid is mixed with magnesium powder, the reaction
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produces hydrogen gas. Silane gas is produced when magnesium silicide reacts with the acid.
Finally, the powder droplets at the bottom of the test tube are the purified silicon.
Uses
Compounds of silicon have important uses. Sand which are oxides of silicon are used in
the manufacture of ceramics, food additives, abrasives and glass, water filtration, manufacture of
Silicon bromide can also be used in the preparation of photo luminescent silicon Nano-
Silicone tetra bromide is a fuming and colorless liquid with a pungent odor. It readily
decomposes when mixed with water and hydro bromide acid; the reaction is exothermic hence, a
lot of heat is released (Bloser, et al., 2012). In the presence of moisture, it does not corrode
metals. Because of its underactivity with oxygen, it is largely used in smoke screens and in
chemical analysis. Most bromide compounds are highly soluble in water hence, they are used for
It was found that silicon tetra bromide is a highly manageable reagent that its
corresponding silicon chloride since they both have similar chemical properties. Silicon tetra
bromide boils at 1540 Celsius while the silicon chloride boils at 600 Celsius (Nakao & Hiyama,
solution in crystallisable benzene, the reaction takes place very slowly. The slightly yellowish
substance is formed which eventually thickens at boiling temperature of benzene. The formed
Fire hazard
Silicon bromide mixed with water will produce irritating fumes of hydrogen bromide
Health hazard
Excessive inhalation of the gas produces irritation of the upper track which results in
choking, suffocation, and coughing. With continued exposure to the gas causes ulceration of the
throat, larynx, nose, and edema of the lungs. When it comes into contact with the eyes it causes
painful burns and severe irritation which may result in permanent loss of vision. Liquid silicon
tetra-bromide causes severe skin burns (Tsou, 2009). Dermatitis may occur with excessive
contact with concentrated vapors or dilute solutions. Moreover, ingestion of silicon tetra-bromide
causes internal body injury such as swollen stomach and throat, nausea, diarrhea and in severe
Reactivity
Bromosilanes such as silicon bromide is silicon compounds which are bonded together to
form one to four bromine atoms bonded together with alkyl groups and hydrogen. Bromosilanes
react with steam, moist air, and water to produce toxic fumes of hydrogen bromide and excessive
heat (Tsou, 2009). It may as well produce flammable hydrogen gas. Bromosilanes readily reacts
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with inorganic and organic bases and with acids to produce flammable and toxic gases.
Therefore, this substance is incompatible with dimethyl sulfide and alkali metals.
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References
Bloser, P. F., Legere, J. S., Wurtz, J. R., Jablonski, L. F., Bancroft, C. M., McConnell, M. L., &
Cui, Y., Zhong, Z., Wang, D., Wang, W. U., & Lieber, C. M. (2003). High performance silicon
Fragneto, G., Thomas, R. K., Rennie, A. R., & Penfold, J. (2006). Neutron reflection from
Tsou, L. Y. (2009). Highly selective reactive ion etching of polysilicon with hydrogen