Silicon Carbide : Multifaceted Applications of High Performance Materials

        Silicon carbide ( SiC ) is a compound composed of silicon ( Si ) and carbon ( C ), and its chemical formula is SiC. Its hardness is almost similar to diamond. It has a variety of crystal structures, such as α-SiC ( hexagonal crystal system ) and β-SiC ( cubic crystal system ). SiC is a covalent bond compound, which makes it have many unique physical and chemical properties. From the appearance point of view, sic is a colorless transparent crystal, but due to the presence of impurities, industrial production of sic usually appears black. Silicon carbide has excellent wear resistance, corrosion resistance, thermal conductivity and other properties. It is suitable for use as a high working temperature part, especially for nozzles.

High temperature resistance of silicon carbide

        One of the most significant characteristics of sic is its excellent high temperature resistance. It exhibits extremely high stability at high temperatures, which is determined by the nature of its chemical bonds. The silicon-carbon covalent bond in sic is very high and is not easy to be destroyed at high temperature. Sic can exist stably at temperatures up to 1600-1700 ° C, and only slowly oxidizes on the surface to form a thin layer of SiO2 protective film. This protective film not only prevents further oxidation of the internal sic, but also improves the strength of the material. In an inert gas environment, silicon carbide can withstand higher temperatures.

Application of Silicon Carbide

        Silicon carbide is an ideal material for making semiconductors. Compared with traditional power devices, sic power devices have higher breakdown electric field strength, higher electron mobility and lower on-resistance. This makes sic power devices have significant advantages in high voltage, high current and high frequency applications.

        SiC can be combined with other ceramic materials ( such as aluminum oxide（AL2O3 ) ）to form ceramic matrix composites. Aluminum oxide is a widely used ceramic material with good mechanical properties and chemical stability. The combination of sic and alumina can further improve the strength, hardness and high temperature resistance of the material. This ceramic matrix composite material has important applications in cutting tools, wear-resistant parts and high-temperature structural parts.

        Due to the high temperature resistance of sic, it is an excellent refractory material. Sic refractory bricks are widely used in high temperature furnaces in iron and steel, non-ferrous metallurgy and other industries. For example, in the lining of an iron-making blast furnace, sic refractory bricks can withstand the erosion of high-temperature molten iron and slag, and have good thermal conductivity, which helps heat transfer and uniform distribution in the furnace. At the same time, sic refractories are also used in ceramic kilns, which can improve the service life of kilns and reduce energy consumption.

        In electronic equipment, heat dissipation is a crucial issue. Silicon carbide has high thermal conductivity and can be used as a heat dissipation material. Compared with traditional heat dissipation materials ( such as copper and aluminum ), the thermal conductivity of sic at high temperature decreases less. In addition, aluminum nitride ( AlN ) is also an important heat dissipation material. Its thermal conductivity is comparable to that of sic, but the price is relatively high. In some cases where the heat dissipation requirements are extremely high and the cost is allowed, aluminum mononitride will be preferred ; in some cost-sensitive large-scale electronic equipment cooling applications, sic has a great advantage.

conclusion

        As a material with excellent performance, silicon carbide has a wide and important application in many fields. Its high temperature resistance makes it excellent in high temperature environment, and it complements or combines with other ceramic materials ( such as aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, zro2, etc. ). Ceramtec distributors play a bridge role in the market circulation of silicon carbide and related ceramic materials, and ceramtec discount have an important impact on both supply and demand sides of the market.