Silicon carbide is an invaluable industrial material with multiple uses and its price per kilogram can fluctuate significantly due to factors ranging from raw material supply and processing complexity to procurement strategies and business decisions. Being informed on these variables is key in making wise purchasing and business decisions.
SiC is made by melting together quartz sand, petroleum coke and sawdust (salt required for green silicon carbide) at high temperatures in resistance furnaces. Purity grades used for semiconductor applications command higher prices due to stringent quality specifications.
Raw Materials
Silicon carbide is created from raw materials such as silica/quartz sand, carbon material and petroleum coke that are chemically combined in a resistance furnace at high temperatures to form silicon carbide. The cost of raw materials may influence its price. Other factors which could impact its cost include manufacturing process or application use.
Silicon Carbide is an exceptionally hard and durable ceramic material capable of withstanding high temperatures, making it perfect for applications including abrasives, mechanical seals and cutting tools. Silicon Carbide boasts excellent thermal conductivity and low coefficient of expansion; making it wear resistant. Furthermore, its Mohs hardness rating of 9.5 places it second only behind diamond.
Elkem offers both green and black silicon carbide with purity of up to 99% for their production facilities in Denmark and India, respectively. We source our green and black silicon carbide from top producers worldwide and process it at our state-of-the-art facilities so as to meet customer specifications exactly. Our R&D personnel work closely with customers in developing custom mixes of premium silicon carbide that perfectly meet their applications.
Manufacturing Process
Silicon Carbide Manufacturing Process | Manufacturing Silicon Carbide The manufacturing process for silicon carbide depends upon its specification. There are three primary forms: sintered silicon carbide (SSC), nitride-bonded silicon carbide (NBSC) and reaction bonded silicon carbide (RBSC). Particle sizes range from 10mm scale refractory sand used as a refractory medium all the way down to 10,000 mesh ultra-fine powder used for polishing applications. Primary ingredients required in production of SiC include: silica and graphitized petroleum coke carbon; sawdust; sawdust/salt mixture; with recycled scrap silicon carbide scraps being heated together under controlled atmosphere within a resistance furnace under controlled atmosphere to create green SiC.
Silicon carbide is produced globally; prices of its material depend on factors like supply chain efficiencies and production costs in various regions. Once ground into grains or powders for various uses, silicon carbide can then be further processed for specific properties that enhance it such as crystalline structure and chemical purity. Silicon carbide production occurs around the world while prices vary based on factors like supply chain efficiencies and production costs.
Silicon carbide (SiC) is an extremely hard chemical compound of silicon and carbon. Although found naturally as the rare mineral moissanite, silicon carbide has been manufactured commercially since 1893 for use as an abrasive. Furthermore, SiC is also a wide bandgap semiconductor used in applications like power electronics and ceramic plates in bulletproof vests. Silicon carbide production involves various techniques, each offering advantages: Acheson process provides high strength saggars; isostatic pressing applies uniform pressure from all directions yielding higher density; while Lely method allows growth of large single crystals which then cut into gems known as synthetic moissanite.
Purity
Silicon carbide powder is an extremely hard and chemical compound with a Mohs hardness rating of 9 and density of 3.2 g/cm3. This lightweight ceramic material offers excellent corrosion resistance, acid resistance and thermal conductivity – features which make it suitable for diffusion furnace use.
Silicon carbide comes in two varieties, black and green. Black silicon carbide can be produced at high temperatures using rectangular electric resistance type furnaces containing quartz sand and petroleum coke; its purity may reach 98%. Green silicon carbide can be created by heating sand and petroleum coke to high temperatures; its extreme hardness enables grinding materials with low tensile strengths like chilled iron, marble and granite while its low coefficient of thermal expansion and chemical inertness make it suitable for applications such as refractories boiler furnace walls checker bricks muffles kiln furniture’s and trys used by zinc purification plants.
Price for silicon carbide depends on its size and quality of product; lower-grade abrasive SiC typically costs $1 to $3 per kilogram while high-purity silicon carbide used in semiconductor and LED equipment can exceed $20. Global economic and trade conditions also have an effect on silicon carbide’s pricing structure; for this reason it is crucial for businesses to gain an understanding of this advanced material’s pricing structure to successfully navigate competitive industrial landscape.
Tillämpningar
Silicon carbide is an adaptable material with diverse applications in fields spanning automotive, renewable energy and aerospace. The material’s outstanding combination of strength, high temperature resistance and corrosion resistance make it the ideal material for these uses; furthermore its low neutron cross section makes it suitable for nuclear reactor applications as well. Silicon carbide also finds use manufacturing light-emitting diodes (LEDs), because its higher efficiency and durability outshone other types of semiconductor materials.
Refractories are commonly produced using the Acheson process with rectangular-section electrical resistance furnaces; although newer techniques exist that reduce waste gas emissions. Unfortunately, production requires significant energy expenditure and thus becomes prohibitively expensive, leading to production moving away from Europe and North America toward Asia where energy costs are significantly less expensive.
Granular silicon carbide with purity of 99 percent is widely used for blasting and grinding hard materials, including chilled iron and other low tensile strength materials with its higher hardness rating than black silicon carbide. Furthermore, its sharp cutting action can also make it suitable for grinding ceramics.
Silicon carbide differs from diamond in that it can be produced synthetically and come in various shapes and sizes, making its price variable depending on various factors such as raw material availability or processing complexities; businesses seeking this material should take note of this complexity to optimize their procurement strategy.
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