Silicon Carbide (SSiC or SiC sinter) is one of the lightest, strongest, and hardest technical ceramic materials on the market today. It has exceptional abrasion, erosion, chemical resistance and thermal shock resistance properties making it one of the ideal technical ceramic materials.
These exceptional properties make alumina an excellent material choice for use in applications spanning metallurgy, paper manufacturing, energy technology, pipe systems components and corrosion mitigation technology. Alumina stands up well against corrosion, abrasion and friction wear as well as oxidation for long-term reliability and oxidation-resistance.
Hardness
Silicon carbide (SiC) is a hard chemical compound of silicon and carbon that occurs naturally as the extremely rare mineral moissanite; however, since 1893 mass-production in powder form for use as an abrasive has taken place. Granules of SiC can also be fused together using sintering technology to form extremely hard ceramics.
SiC is an ideal material for wear applications such as cutting tools and grinding wheels due to its Mohs hardness rating of 9.5 on the Mohs scale, surpassing even that of tungsten carbide (WC). Furthermore, its scratch resistance and abrasion durability make it an excellent sanding material with its low density (3.21 g/cm3) and heat resistance offering benefits over WC in environments requiring fast thermal dissipation while its resistance against chemicals such as acid rain makes it even more desirable than its rival WC counterpart. Additionally, its resistance against chemicals as well as environmental fluctuations make SiC an unrivalled choice over its counterpart WC as well.
Note, however, that the standard Vickers test used to assess hardness does not perform adequately with opaque ceramics and diagonal length measurements may produce errors when testing opaque materials like alumina and other opaque substances. A correction for this has been included in older Knoop hardness standards (C 730 and C 849); however, this modification was omitted from E 384 Master Microhardness of Materials Standard or ISO Ceramics TC 206 standards currently under development in 2017.
Corrosion
Ceramics’ remarkable chemical inertness means they can withstand an array of chemicals and substances without breaking down, providing superior resistance in various environments. Alumina, for instance, stands up well to acids and bases without becoming damaged; additionally its ability to conduct electricity adds another layer of protection that makes it an excellent material choice for electronics applications.
Silicon carbide is another popular ceramic material. It comes in various forms and products like tungsten carbide abrasives can contain it. Silicon carbide plays an integral part in industrial processes such as machining, forming, grinding, cutting and drilling and it has many different applications including wear components thermal insulation medical devices.
Solid-phase sintered silicon carbide ceramics are among the toughest heat resistant fine ceramics, capable of withstanding temperatures as high as 1400degC while still remaining strong and flexible. Solid-phase sintered silicon carbide seals for pumps and compressors as well as semiconductor processing equipment and general industrial machine parts often incorporate this material for its mechanical seal strength, corrosion resistance, electrical semiconductivity and hardness properties. Reaction Bonded Silicon Carbide (RBSiC) lining is an especially helpful material in demanding environments as it can withstanding pressure temperatures during mining operations as well as acids and alkalis environments while remaining flexible compared to traditional rubber or urethane liners.
Heat Resistance
Silicon carbide (SiC) is one of the lightest, hardest, and strongest advanced ceramic materials available, boasting impressive thermal conductivity, acid resistance, low coefficient of thermal expansion and machineability with high strength and impact resistance – perfect for physical wear applications like shot blast nozzles, cyclone components and more.
Carbide-based ceramics have the capacity to reach temperatures far exceeding that of conventional clay-based ceramics such as alumina and zirconia, reaching 1400c and above. If working at even higher temperatures is desired, UTC or ultra-high temperature ceramics (UHC) may also be an option; however care must be taken regarding atmospheric conditions during such endeavors.
SiC ceramics are popular choices as a replacement material in demanding industrial applications due to their excellent properties such as machinability, chemical and corrosion resistance, high temperature strength, low thermal cycling rates and ballistic protection. Mohs hardness rating 9.5 ensures they can resist abrasion damage as well.
While other ceramics such as alumina and zirconia may provide similar benefits, such as increased fracture toughness and lower coefficient of thermal expansion, their cost may offset such attributes, making silicon carbide an economical choice when budget is a factor. Due to its durability and reliability properties, silicon carbide has long been used in abrasive applications – indeed our ceramic abrasives employ granular SiC for enhanced performance compared to traditional alumina products.
Wear Resistance
Wear resistance refers to a material’s ability to resist mechanical damage caused by friction and impact, helping equipment perform more efficiently while decreasing maintenance expenses and prolonging equipment lifespan. Silicon carbide (SiC) ceramics are highly wear-resistant materials with excellent resistance against abrasion and erosion as well as high temperatures – ideal for use in harsh environments.
Silicon carbide can be produced using various processes. Reaction-bonded SiC, more commonly referred to as RBSC, involves bonding porous carbon feedstock to molten silicon through additive forming methods like dry-pressing or extrusion. Sintering involves heating raw materials at elevated temperatures before allowing them to cool off and solidify over time.
SiC is a popular material choice for abrasion-resistant ceramics used in consumer automobiles, such as brake pads. It boasts three times greater abrasion resistance than corundum and five times that of high-alloy wear-resistant cast steel; additionally, SiC displays great chemical resistance properties which enable it to resist corrosion by alkalines and acids.
SiC ceramics can also be found in industrial applications like ore crushers, conveyor equipment and screening devices. Their high resistance to high intensity friction and impact results in reduced maintenance frequency while cutting production costs. Power plants utilize them as components in pumps and valves.