SupaVillain
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Synthesis of either antimony ethoxide or zirconium ethoxide
Antimony Ethoxide or Zirconium Ethoxide, which is cheaper to make and how?
Getting into those flexible solar panels they said that these things were cheap but just these chemicals are like $75 for 5 grams!
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Metacelsus
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| Quote: | | treat zirconium tetrachloride with the desired alcohol and ammonia. |
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanium_ethoxide (also covers zirconium)
Apparently, no sodium ethoxide is needed, just ammonia and ethanol (I'm guessing these must be anhydrous). You could probably use an amine in place of
ammonia.
For antimony ethoxide, I think it's made by reaction of antimony chloride and sodium ethoxide in a suitable solvent.
[Edited on 16-1-2015 by Cheddite Cheese]
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Dr.Bob
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Antimony salts tend to be quite toxic, so beware. I don't recall the same issue for zirconium. That alone may dictate which is easier to procure
and work with. Good luck. If you saw the costs to build a crystalline silicon facility you would think $75 is real cheap. I got to see one 25+
years ago when they were still pretty new and still making 3" & 5" wafers. But they cost millions. The wafers are quite pretty however. I
think many solar PV cells are still based on 5" wafers, though.
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SupaVillain
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Thanks guys, if you think those silicon wafers are pretty get one for 5 bucks off ebay and frame it on your wall! Well 75 bucks for 5 grams would be
enough for about 6 square feet of this kind of solar panel, theres a lot of chemicals that go into the production of it so lowering the costs of some
from 75 to like 20 makes for a much more easier to persuade investment
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SupaVillain
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Well unfortunately the zirconium tetrachloride is also rare and expensive.
Zirconium silicate is insanely cheap though, in comparison. Is there any way to turn the silicate into the tetrachloride?
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gdflp
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It looks possible, though rather difficult and dangerous. Firstly, zircon is fused with molten sodium hydroxide and the fusion products are extracted
to yield hydrated zirconium oxide. This oxide is then heated until anhydrous and then this is reacted with charcoal and chlorine at high temperature
to form ZrCl4. The other option is to react the zirconium oxide with carbon tetrachloride, however this produces phosgene which is more toxic than
hydrogen cyanide and hydrogen sulfide. References 1 2
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SupaVillain
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LOL i think im gonna stick with antimony and sodium ethoxide then.
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SupaVillain
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Can anybody give more information on antimony ethoxide's synthesis? It seems to be hard to find anything for sure
all ive uncovered are some other names for it but even upon researching them (antimony triethylate) i only found this reaction
Antimony (III) tris-(O,O-di-p-tolyl phosphorodithioate) + ethanol ------> antimony (III) ethoxide
[Edited on 16-1-2015 by SupaVillain]
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