Basically, silicon carbide ceramic is one of the most advanced materials. As the name suggests, it is made of carbon and silicon. In nature, it is found as a rare form of the mineral moissanite. Since 1893, silicon carbide ceramics have been in production. It is possible to unite the grains of this material. The idea is to do something really difficult. As there is an increasing demand for marine engineering, automobile industry, space technology and nuclear power, the demand for this material has also been increasing. Let’s find out more.
This ceramic offers a wide range of excellent characteristics such as resistance to chemical corrosion, resistance to thermal shock, increased hardness, coefficient of thermal expansion, lower wear resistance and resistance to high temperatures.
This is the reason why this material is commonly used in many industries, such as power, information electronics, space technology, environmental protection, chemical industry, and automotive industry.
Today these ceramics are used in the form of corrosion resistant vessels in many industries such as the petrochemical industry. This material is used in different types of devices, such as mechanical seal parts, bearings, and cutting tools. Other than this, it is an ideal choice for different types of engine components, rocket nozzles, gas turbines, and many other things.
fundamental properties
Chemical properties
In an oxygen reaction, when the temperature reaches 1300 degrees Celsius, a protective layer appears on the surface of these crystals. As the protective layers get thicker, the silicon carbide interior becomes even stronger.
Regarding the resistance of compounds, alkalinity and acidity, silicon carbide has excellent resistance to acids. However, it does not have good enough alkali resistance.
physical properties
From a density point of view, almost all types of silicon carbide crystals are the same. When it comes to hardness, this material sits at 9.5 Mohs. Also, the Knoop hardness level is between 2670 and 2815 kg/mm. The good thing is that this level of hardness is much higher than most abrasive materials, such as diamond.
Thermal shock resistance and thermal conductivity are also very good. Since the thermal expansion parameters are not that impressive, SiC ceramic is one of the best refractory materials.
electrical properties
At constant temperature, commercial silicon carbide ceramics serve as a type of semiconductor. The internal resistance of this material decreases with increasing temperature. Also, the conductivity of this material is different when it comes to impurities.
good hydrophilicity
When it comes to hydrophilicity, silicon carbide ceramic exhibits strong covalent bonds. Based on Pauling’s electronegativity calculations, the ionic property of this material is only 12%. So, we can say that this material has a not so good wear resistance, a high elastic modulus and a high level of hardness.
To summarize, this was an overview of silicon carbide ceramics. Hopefully this overview will help you gain a deeper understanding of this material. Since this material has many great features, it is used in a wide range of industries.
