Abstract:
Semiconductor companies, after carrying out their encapsulated chip manufacturing process, generate solid waste. Some of these residues are predominantly composed of high purity silicon free from contaminants. The objective of this work was the physical, chemical and mineralogical characterization of the solid residue from the backside grinding of electronic grade wafers, through analyzes such as laser particle size, X-ray diffraction, FTIR-ATR and SEM-EDS. The majority presence of Si was identified, together with SiC (from the abrasives) and SiO2 (due to the surface oxidation of silicon during the process), in an average particle size of 7.98 ± 4.12 µm. From the data, potential uses of silicon as a co-product for other industries were identified, highlighting the applications in thermoelectric materials, hydrogen production and the use in the development of lithium-ion batteries.