The History of Silicon
Baron Jons Jakob Berzelius was born near Linkoping in Sweden. He studied medicine at the University of Uppsala, but became interested in chemistry . He became a professor and lecturer at Stockholm in 1807. In 1808, he joined the Stockholm Academy of Sciences, and in 1815, started a 17 year career as a chemistry professor at the Carolin Medico-Chirurgical Institute, also in Stockholm. He became the permanent secretary of the Stockholm Academy of Sciences in 1818. Berzelius was the first person to isolate silicon in 1823, and thus he is credited with its discovery. Due to his contributions to science, he was named Baron by Charles XIV John (Swedish and Norwegian king) in 1835. Berzelius, an accomplished scientist, discovered cerium, selenium, and thorium, and was the first person able to isolate silicon, zirconium, and titanium. He created the chemical notation system which is still used, and also came up with the theory of radicals. However, the achievement Berzelius is most recognized for is his measurement of atomic weights.
Berzelius was able to isolate/identify silicon in 1924. He began the reaction by heating (in a container with silica) potassium metal chips. The reaction below resulted:
SiF4 + 4K --> 4KF + Si (silicon tetrafluoride + potassium --> potassium fluoride + silicon)The Si and KF mixture must be separated chemically. Potassium fluoride will react with water at room temperature, though silicon will not.
KF + H2O <--->HF + KOH (potassium fluoride + water <---> hydrofluoric acid + potassium hydroxide)After this reaction, Berzelius was able to wash away all byproducts, and the pieces remaining were silicon.