The status of ceramic crucibles in the photovoltaic industry

　　 Ceramic crucible Status in the photovoltaic industry

　　In recent years, with the increasing attention and development of environmentally friendly energy, solar energy, as a green energy source, has received widespread attention from countries around the world, leading to its extensive development and utilization. This has resulted in a sharp increase in the demand for polysilicon used in solar energy conversion. Therefore, it has promoted the rapid development of polysilicon production, and the demand for correspondingly large-size, thin-walled, square fused quartz has also increased sharply. The international market for this product is very good. Ceramic crucible Fused quartz Ceramic crucible Due to its good thermal stability, resistance to corrosion by melts (silicon, aluminum, copper, etc.), and non-polluting nature to the processed products, it is widely used in polysilicon production and non-ferrous metal smelting industries.

　　Ten years ago, the square crucibles used for ingot casting in polysilicon wafer enterprises and the quartz crucibles used for crystal pulling in single-crystal silicon wafer enterprises all needed to be imported. However, at present, nearly 100% domestic production has been achieved.

　　Quartz Ceramic crucible Preparation process

　　Quartz Ceramic crucible There are two forming methods: slip casting and injection molding.

　　Slip casting is a method where a prepared quartz ceramic slurry is poured into a high-performance gypsum mold to form the shape. The water absorption of the gypsum mold causes the slurry to solidify, resulting in a quartz crucible blank. After drying and firing, quartz is obtained. Ceramic crucible 。

　　This method has been used in ceramic production processes for a long time, is easy to master, and is currently the most common forming method used. Because it uses gypsum molds, the demolding time is relatively long, and the production efficiency is relatively low. The products have high density, good wear resistance, and low apparent porosity.

　　Injection molding is a method where an organic additive is added to the initially prepared quartz ceramic slurry, and it is poured into a special mold to form the shape. The monomer molecules in the slurry undergo a polymerization reaction to form a gel network, thus solidifying the quartz ceramic slurry into a ceramic blank. After drying and high-temperature sintering, quartz is obtained. Ceramic crucible 。

　　This forming method has certain technical difficulties, so currently only a few manufacturers in China have mastered it. This forming method allows for rapid forming of the blank, easy demolding, and higher strength after demolding. It is suitable for large-scale and rapid production and is the direction of future development. The crucibles prepared have high green strength and are more suitable for making ultra-large-size products. At the same time, they have a uniform structure and excellent thermal shock resistance and high-temperature resistance.