SiC ceramics are the basic materials of modern industry since the Industrial Revolution, with excellent durability, thermal stability and corrosion resistance. From high temperature applications to cutting-edge technology applications, the versatile materials produced by SiC ceramics can help you improve equipment operation, process manufacturing and ceramic parts procurement needs.
Key properties of silicon carbide ceramics
Silicon carbide ceramics have their unique and excellent properties, which can make you play an irreplaceable role in production research and manufacturing. The following are its main properties:
High hardness and wear resistance
Silicon carbide ceramics have a Mohs hardness of 9.1, second only to diamond. They can show wear resistance under extreme conditions and can be widely used in wear environments. I think it is one of the ideal choices for wear-resistant parts.
Thermal stability
You can also work at high temperatures above 1500°C. It can also keep your machinery and structure intact at high temperatures. It is one of the preferred materials for your high-temperature equipment operation.
Corrosion resistance
You can also be exposed to acid, alkali and oxidation environments. Even if processed in such a chemical environment, it can work normally and well for your equipment.
Excellent thermal conductivity
Silicon carbide ceramics can also efficiently cool, prevent thermal freezing, reduce the risk of deformation, extend the service life of your component equipment in a regenerative environment, and reduce your expenses.
It has a variety of processing methods such as sintered SiC, reaction sintered SiC and remolded SiC, allowing you to choose the best process according to actual needs, providing you with a wide range of choices from first-class electronic products to structural components.
Applications of Silicon Carbide Ceramics
SiC ceramics are widely used in various industries due to their excellent properties. Some key application areas are listed below to show you its versatility and potential value:
High-temperature applications
Refractory materials and kiln furniture
Silicon carbide ceramics are widely used in kiln furniture, furnace linings and crucibles. Its high temperature resistance ensures that your kiln furniture, furnace linings and crucibles have long durability and low wear rate. They can be reused, saving long-term costs.
For example, oxide-bonded silicon carbide is often used in energy-intensive processes in high-temperature furnaces to produce high-performance products.
Heat exchangers
Silicon carbide ceramics have excellent thermal conductivity, which can greatly enhance heat transfer, reduce energy consumption, improve energy conversion efficiency, and greatly save energy waste in chemical and industrial systems.
Example: Corrosion-resistant Silicon carbide heat exchangers in chemical plants must be corrosion-resistant and can convert energy for you.
Induction heating elements
Silicon carbide rods and heating elements are one of the best applications for accessories for your equipment’s induction heating system because they are resistant to thermal shock, do not deform, do not move, and are durable for a long time in repeated heating cycles.
Example: Heating elements for heat treatment of metals and ceramics can meet your higher precision and standard requirements.
Abrasives and surface treatment
Grinding and polishing
Silicon carbide ceramics are the basic materials for manufacturing grinding wheels, sandpaper and abrasive pastes, and can be used for precision grinding and polishing of metals, optical devices and ceramics from coarse to fine.
Example: Silicon carbide sandpaper is often used for furniture painting polishing and metal rust removal.
Sandblasting media
Silicon carbide also has sharp edges and wear resistance, making it the preferred raw material for sandblasting, providing you with effective surface pretreatment and cleaning.
Example: Rust removal and coating removal of industrial equipment mostly use silicon carbide, which can provide you with efficient and fast results.
Mechanical and structural components
Bearings and seals
Silicon carbide ceramics have high hardness and corrosion resistance, and are the first choice for manufacturing wear-resistant mechanical seals and bearings in pumps and compressors.
Example: Become the first choice for mechanical seals in chemical and petroleum refining pumps, and configure precision ceramic pump parts and ceramic seals for you.
Armor and Defense
Silicon carbide ceramics are lightweight and durable, and can be used in large quantities to manufacture personal protective armor, such as bulletproof vests, vehicle protective plates, vehicle chassis armor, etc.
Example: Silicon carbide ceramic armor for individuals and vehicles is lightweight and durable, reducing your burden and fuel consumption.
Molten Metal Processing
Porous silicon carbide filters can also be made to efficiently remove impurities in different filtering processes to ensure the output of high-purity materials.
Example: Filtration systems in aluminum plants and steel plants to improve purity and quality for you.
Electronic and Power Applications
Semiconductor Substrates
Silicon carbide ceramic substrates are key basic components of high-power electronic devices, providing you with excellent thermal conductivity or heat dissipation performance and static reliability.
Example: 4H-SiC wafers for power converters in renewable energy systems are your stable and reliable component choice.
Microwave Components
Silicon carbide’s low dielectric loss and high thermal conductivity provide a suitable alternative for your microwave and radar system components.
Example: The application of radar components in communication satellites provides a guarantee for your choice.
Thermal Management
Silicon carbide ceramics can be used in heat sinks and thermal management systems for electronic devices to prevent your CPU, GPU and other high-performance devices from overheating and shutting down.
Example: Silicon carbide heat sinks for data center applications ensure your data security and improve operational efficiency.
Environmental and Energy Applications
Water Filtration
Silicon carbide membranes are also highly durable and chemically resistant and are the main components of desalination and water treatment systems.
Example: Silicon carbide filters in wastewater recycling plants have low full-cycle costs.
Fuel Cells
Silicon carbide ceramics can also serve as stable structural supports in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) to promote efficient energy conversion power generation components.
Example: Silicon carbide components in hydrogen fuel cell stacks are advanced environmentally friendly components that can
Market and Industry Overview
The silicon carbide ceramic market, after rapid development of technology and industry, has also attracted a lot of attention from most manufacturers and buyers in the following markets and industries:
Major Suppliers
Manufacturers such as CoorsTek, Saint-Gobain, Washington Mills, and Ggsceramic have a large share in meeting the global supply of silicon carbide ceramics. They can provide customized precision silicon carbide ceramic material components for industries such as aerospace, automotive, and renewable energy.
Cost Dynamics
The price of silicon carbide ceramics is affected by its application type and main use. For example, sintered SiC and reaction-bonded SiC have different cost prices due to different manufacturing processes. In addition, global supply chain factors such as raw material supply and energy costs also affect the fluctuation of cost prices, thereby affecting the terminal price.
Production Innovation
Innovation includes the latest technological developments such as 3D printing of silicon carbide ceramics, which has completely changed the entire production process, enabling workers to produce complex customized shapes with high precision. The increasing improvement of sintering and recrystallization technology has improved material performance while reducing production costs.
Global Trends
Green Technology: The large demand in renewable energy and electric vehicles is also driving the market growth of silicon carbide ceramics.
Asia Pacific Expansion: Countries such as China, Japan, and South Korea are becoming important players in silicon carbide ceramic production and research.
Customized Solutions: Manufacturers provide application-specific solutions to meet the growing demand in segments such as biomedical devices and quantum technology.
How to select and purchase silicon carbide ceramics
Selecting and purchasing silicon carbide ceramics requires clear and specific application requirements, combined with material properties and application environment. Here are some key guidelines to help you make the right decision:
Application-based selection
Determine the use of the ceramic, such as:
High-temperature applications: Sintered SiC can be selected, which has good thermal stability, no deformation, and no displacement deviation.
Corrosion-resistant parts: Reaction-sintered SiC can be selected, which has high chemical resistance and good cost-effectiveness.
Precision electronics: Due to the high purity and low dielectric loss properties of recrystallized SiC, you can use recrystallized SiC to improve the performance of precision electronic products.
Key performance indicators
Evaluate the following key characteristics according to specific needs, and factory customization needs to be emphasized:
Thermal stability: Suitable for environments exceeding 1,500°C, special notes can be made.
Hardness: The necessary conditions for wear-resistant parts, relative hardness, etc. need to be evaluated.
Chemical resistance: In the place or environment of application, whether there is an acid or alkaline environment in the chemical, special attention should be paid to marking this special environment.
Select qualified suppliers based on the application
Refer to the suppliers corresponding to the following summarized standards:
Experience or skill certification: Check whether it meets the industry standards, whether it has rich technical experience and good service.
Strong technical support: Screen suppliers who provide one-stop procurement of silicon carbide ceramic recommendations and customized solutions.
Determined delivery time: It is necessary to evaluate in advance whether the delivery cycle meets the project schedule requirements, because the customized production and processing cycle is long, and customization sometimes takes up to 2 months.
Reasonable price and quality matching: Compare quotations with the same parameters and performance, shop around, and ensure that the price is fair and the quality matches the reasonable price.
The future of silicon carbide ceramic applications
Biological non-rejection SiC ceramics: Biological non-rejection ceramics can be used as irreplaceable medical devices in replacing damaged human joints, such as knees, teeth, etc.
Applications in space exploration and quantum computing: Due to its light weight and thermal insulation properties, SiC ceramics are increasingly used in space exploration, such as the thermal insulation tiles of Musk’s Starship spacecraft.
Can be applied to manufacturing processes such as 3D printing: The application of silicon carbide ceramic printing using 3D can be quickly formed and accurate. It shortens the application cycle and improves efficiency.
Conclusion
From the above, we can see that silicon carbide ceramics have outstanding application characteristics, such as light weight and thermal insulation. They can not only be used in daily stoves, but also can be used in cutting-edge sciences such as space and quantum after precision processing. Its application span is very large and its uses are very wide. Through continuous exploration of its potential use value, its greatest use can be brought into play, making great contributions to human development.
FAQ
1. How has the price of silicon carbide ceramics been trending in recent years and in the future?
I think that with the increasing tension of energy and the increasing demand in the fields of outer space exploration and AI artificial intelligence, the price of silicon carbide ceramics has been rising and will continue to rise slightly in the future.
2. What are the main applications of silicon carbide ceramics?
According to my experience, silicon carbide ceramics are mainly used in refractory materials, high-temperature furnaces, semiconductor devices, abrasives and water filtration systems. If you want to explore application scenarios, you can communicate with us.
3. How to choose silicon carbide ceramics under high temperature working conditions?
Under high temperature working conditions, it is recommended to choose silicon carbide ceramics with high purity, close to 99.99% material purity, sintered high purity silicon carbide (Sintered SiC) ceramics.
4. What is the main role of silicon carbide ceramics in cutting-edge semiconductors?
As a wafer or substrate for power semiconductors, silicon carbide ceramics can also be used to improve the efficiency and heat dissipation performance of high-power devices in electric vehicles and renewable energy systems.
5. How to judge the quality of silicon carbide ceramics provided by suppliers?
It is required to provide material certification of relevant quality grades such as the purity and density of raw materials, and to provide the selected processing technology, the testing methods used and other quality control data of the whole process.
6.What are the uses of silicon carbide ceramics in renewable energy systems? Please give an example. The role of silicon carbide ceramics in renewable energy systems is to improve the thermal management capabilities of your equipment and to increase the ability to transmit electricity.