Silicon Isolation

There is normally no need to make Silicon (Si) in the lab as it is readily available commercially.
Silicon is readily available commercially. Silicon is readily available through the treatment of Silica
with pure graphite (as coke) in an electric furnace:

SiO2 + 2C ! Si + 2CO

Under these conditions, Silicon Carbide SiC, can form. However, provided the amount of SiO2 is
kept high, Silicon Carbide may be eliminated.

2SiC + SiO2 ! 3Si + 2CO

Very pure Silicon can be made by the reaction of SiCl4 with Hydrogen, followed by zone refining
of the resultant Silicon

SiCl4 + 2H2 ! Si + 4HCl

Boron Isolation

It is not normally necessary to make Boron in the lab and it would normally be purchased as it is
available commercially. The most common sources of Boron are Tourmaline, Borax
[Na2B4O5(OH)4.8H2O], and Kemite [Na2B4O5(OH)4.2H2O]. It is difficult to obtain pure. It can be
made through the Mg reduction of the oxide, B2O3. The oxide is made by melting boric acid,
B(OH)3, which in turn is obtained from Borax

B2O3 + 3Mg ! 2B + 3MgO

Some amounts of high purity Boron are available through the thermal decomposition of compounds
such as BBr3 with Hydrogen gas using a heated Ta wire. results are better with hot wires at
temperatures over 1000C. Figure shows Structures of Borate Anions:
(A) The B2O4-2 anion, as found in Calcium Metaborate, (CaB2O4).
(B) The B5O6(OH)-4 anion, as found in Potassium Borate, {K[B5O6(OH)4.2H2O.
(C) The B4O5(OH)4-2 anion, as found in Borax Na2B4O7.10H2O