Dow Corning announced that its new monosilane plant in Thomas Township, Michigan has commenced production. The facility produces monosilane gas, a high-purity material that is utilized as a feedstock for photovoltaics and as an anti-reflective coating for solar cells.
The plant is located near Hemlock Semiconductor Group’s polysilicon manufacturing facility and it has consistent record of producing quality silicon-based products.
Monosilane gas is one of the key raw materials used by the solar energy market. Hence, the market requires reliable supply of this material. But, monosilane is produced by only a few manufacturers and most of them utilize it for their own production.
The manufacturing facility of Dow Corning has a capacity to produce 4,000 t of monosilane annually and their purity levels exceed the industry’s specifications. The commencement of monosilane production at a high-volume facility helps to better serve Dow Corning’s customers and also enhances their productivity.
Dow Corning is one of the world’s few companies offering silicon-based solutions for a complete photovoltaic value chain. The company invests to expand its product portfolio that includes sealants, potting agents, coating, adhesives, encapsulants and solar grade silicon. In the last six years, Dow Corning and Hemlock Semiconductor Group have made over $5 billion investments to explore, develop and expand production of solar materials.