Silicon Carbide (SiC) is an extremely hard synthetic compound of silicon and carbon that occurs naturally as the gem moissanite and, to a smaller extent, in carbonaceous chondrite meteorites.
Produced by melting silica sand and coke at high temperatures in an electric furnace, quartz exists in at least 70 different crystal forms; alpha form with hexagonal crystal structure similar to Wurtzite being the most prevalent.
Фізичні властивості
Silicon carbide, more commonly referred to as Carborundum, is a nonoxide ceramic compound with exceptional hardness and chemical resistance properties that ranks second only to diamond. Furthermore, pure form silicon carbide resists oxidation at higher temperatures for more reliable electrical conductivity and conductivity.
Heat silica sand with carbon in an electric furnace to produce SiC. The green to bluish-black, crystalline material produced can then be separated into grades with differing physical properties: for instance metallurgical grade A has coarse layers; while smoother crystals of grade b form smoother structures.
These polytypes of layered structures exhibit distinctive electrical, optical and thermal properties. Their atomic bonds consist of four silicon atoms bonded with four carbon atoms in an irregular square pattern forming four hexagonal crystals; this provides wide band-gap semiconductor properties. Extrusion or cold isostatic pressing can shape these materials into rods or tubes for use as rods and tubes.
Chemical Properties
Silicon carbide (SiC), more commonly referred to as carborundum, is a tough chemical compound of silicon and carbon with wide band-gap semiconductor properties. Refractory in nature, SiC is also known for its high thermal conductivity and low thermal expansion properties that make it great resistance against thermal shock.
Crystalline SiC crystallizes in an close-packed structure with four silicon and four carbon atoms bound in tetrahedral coordination, and has over 70 polytypes; alpha SiC is most frequently found at temperatures above 2000 degC with hexagonal crystal structure similar to Wurtzite. Meanwhile, beta modification with zincblende crystal structure similar to diamond and sphalerite formation occurs at lower temperatures.
Carborundum is an extremely rare substance in nature but a staple element in carbon-rich meteorites in space. First artificially synthesized in 1891 by Edward Acheson as part of his work producing artificial diamonds, the material was eventually discovered naturally in Arizona’s Canyon Diablo meteorite in 1893 and named moissanite after Nobel prize winner Henri Moissan.
Механічні властивості
Silicon carbide has an extremely hard surface with an Mohs scale rating of 9 on the Mohs scale, making it the hardest nonoxide ceramic and one of the hardest materials overall. It makes an excellent material choice for applications involving mechanical wear such as abrasives and refractories while boasting good thermal properties that resist high temperature environments as well as thermal shock.
Silicon replaces half of the carbon atoms, providing enhanced heat conduction properties due to similar atomic radius between silicon and carbon – helping reduce phonon scattering.
Silicon carbide appears as yellow to green to bluish-black iridescent crystals that sublime with decomposition at 2700degC. Although insoluble in water, SiC is soluble in molten alkalis such as NaOH and KOH as well as in molten iron and its Young’s modulus and hardness are determined by texture, stacking faults, grain size and the nature of its grain boundaries.
Електричні властивості
Silicon carbide’s wide bandgap energy allows it to withstand higher temperatures and voltages than silicon, making it suitable for applications requiring fast yet reliable electronic devices. Furthermore, its ability to withstand such voltage is invaluable in electric vehicle battery systems that reduce both size and weight by eliminating inverters altogether.
SiC is a popular material due to its combination of ceramic and semiconductor properties, which contributes to electronic technology’s advancement. Furthermore, its hardness, strength, low thermal expansion and chemical reaction resistance has contributed to its rise in popularity.
Silicon carbide is created by heating pure silica sand with carbon in an electric furnace, creating ingots of both metallurgical and abrasive grades known as a-SiC and b-SiC according to quality and intended use. After ingots have been formed they are cut down into different sizes and shapes depending on desired applications before being blended with additional elements like aluminium or nitrogen for desired characteristics.