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Description
Silicon is the element of significant importance - including the production of electronic devices, solar panels and metallurgical alloys. Silicon materials producers have to keep strict quality control of their raw materials and products. Modern and innovative silicon production technological line requires high quality analytical information about chemical composition – for this purpose modern instrumental methods are commonly used. Correctness of the results obtained with these methods has to be verified using materials of well-known composition, traceable to SI units, confirmed and described by the certificate. These materials are called certified reference materials (CRM).
In response to the market needs, SILREF project consists of production of 8 CRMs for silicon materials: silicon metal, ferrosilicon magnesium and microsilica. The ISO 17034 standard requirements will be held during the project to meet the recent requirements of the market.
Summary of project results
The project involved the production of certified reference materials (CRM) for silicon materials. The need to produce new CRMs resulted directly
from the market: there were no CRMs on the market with the appropriate certified composition and high metrological quality. Therefore,
Łukasiewicz-IMN - an accredited CRM producer, together with Elkem, a manufacturer of various silicon materials, as part of the SILREF project,
developed 9 new CRMs: 4 for magnesium ferrosilicon, 3 for microsilica and 2 for silicon.
Elkem was responsible for the production of all materials that met the requirements of appropriate chemical composition and ranges. Further
work carried out at Łukasiewicz-IMN included a series of tests aimed at confirming the homogeneity and stability and determining the
uncertainty related to these parameters. Łukasiewicz-IMN, Elkem and external laboratories were involved to determine the values of certified
individual parameters. Then, only statistically positive results were included in the calculation of certified values.
As part of the project, in addition to the developing of new CRMs, Łukasiewicz-IMN''s competences in the area of specialized analyzes of silicon
materials have increased, thanks to which it is possible to increase the commercial analytical offer.
The introduction of new CRMs into Elkem''s laboratory practice will primarily ensure consistency of results obtained in various company branches
located around the world. This will directly translate into higher quality of products manufactured by Elkem.
CRMs was manufactured in accordance with the 17034 standard, due to their high metrological quality, constitute an important contribution to
building high analytical standards in the area of silicon materials.
Summary of bilateral results
The cooperation between the Łukasiewicz-IMN - Polish research institute and Elkem, the Norwegian company, within the SILREF project led toachieving the project goal. This was possible thanks to the exchange of information and experiences, shared both during meetings in Norwayand Gliwice, as well as during technical meetings conducted online.Thanks to the cooperation, 9 new CRMs was developed. Benefits of introducing them into laboratory practice will be felt by all Elkem branches.The benefit of the cooperation is also the expansion of Łukasiewicz-IMN''s new competences in the fileld of silicon materials analysis. This allow tothe expansion of the offer of commercially available new CRMs, offered via Łukasiewicz-IMN and the dealer network. The cooperation resulted inthe submission of another project (the proposal was submited in EIT RawMaterials, KAVA 12, RIS Capacity Building Projects - unfortunately, theproject did not receive funding). The plan for future cooperation is to produce further new CRMs - for FeSi alloys. Elkem and Łukasiewicz-IMN areconsidering different paths of financing such a project.