重要信息

We look forward to answering any questions or sharing additional information about our silicon carbide ceramic offerings and support services. Whether you’re exploring custom prototypes or scaling production for extreme industrial applications, our team is ready to guide you through the capabilities of this exceptional material.

Custom silicon carbide ceramic components

We customize every aspect to meet your precise requirements, from purity grades to dimensional tolerances. Below are examples from our previous projects, showcasing high-precision abrasives, refractory liners, semiconductor substrates, and grinding balls for mineral processing. Ready to design your custom parts? Contact us today—our engineers can collaborate on CAD models and rapid prototyping to accelerate your schedule.

A Comprehensive Guide to Silicon Carbide Ceramics

History of silicon carbide ceramics

The history of silicon carbide (碳化硅) ceramics begins in 1893, when American chemist Edward Goodrich Aitchson accidentally discovered it while attempting to synthesize diamonds by heating a mixture of sand and carbon to produce “carborandum”—the first commercial abrasive. Initially prized for its Mohs hardness of 9.5, SiC quickly revolutionized grinding and polishing by the early 1900s, surpassing natural abrasives like corundum. The 1920s marked its entry into refractories, with the Aitchson process, which enabled the mass production of furnace linings amid the steel boom.

After World War II, SiC’s potential as a semiconductor became apparent in the 1950s, with early diodes exploiting its wide bandgap (3.26 eV) for high-power electronics—pioneered by General Electric. The energy crisis of the 1970s accelerated its use in thermal engines, while advances in chemical vapor deposition (CVD) in the 1980s opened up pure crystals for LEDs and power devices. Biomedical applications grew in the 1990s for biocompatible coatings. Today, global production exceeds 1.5 million tons annually, fueled by electric vehicles (SiC MOSFETs), renewable energy (solar panel inverters), and 5G—evolving from an abrasive standard to a $5 billion powerhouse in harsh, high-performance applications.

Its polytypic structures—more than 200 α/β forms—have enabled bandgap tuning, from blue LEDs (Nobel Prize 1990) to 1200-volt electric vehicles, reflecting SiC’s shift from sand to “silicon’s rival.” The recent surge in demand for mineral/cement grinding media underscores its enduring abrasive heritage.

Understanding Silicon Carbide Ceramics

Silicon carbide (碳化硅) ceramics, a covalent compound of silicon and carbon, are a leading class of non-oxide materials renowned for their unmatched hardness, thermal/electrical conductivity, and resistance to oxidation, corrosion, and thermal shock up to 1600°C. With a density of ~3.2 g/cm³ (60% of steel) but a flexural strength of 400 MPa and an HV of 2100, SiC excels in abrasive, high-thermal, or electrochemical environments where metals degrade. Its hexagonal (一个) or cubic (乙) polygons allow for tuned band gaps (2.4–3.3 eV), ideal for semiconductors; the self-lubricating microstructure yields friction coefficients <0.2.

Its performance is based on strong Si-C bonds, providing a CTE of 3.5 x 10⁻⁶ K⁻¹ for composites without mismatches and a conductivity of 90–490 W/m K for radiators. Inert to acids and alkalis (except HF), it is indispensable for chemical pumps or armor. More expensive than aluminum oxide ($20–50/kg vs. $5–20), SiC’s 10–20 times the service life and efficiency gains (e.g., +30% range for electric vehicles) justify the premium, with processability aiding sustainability.

The black and green hues of SiC, free from impurities, offer aesthetic and functional versatility; it is non-toxic and FDA-compliant for medical and food contact. From Aitchson sand to Wolfspeed plates, SiC bridges the mechanical and electronic worlds, with grinding balls exemplifying its abrasive power in mineral processing.

Silicon carbide ceramic options

Silicon carbide ceramics are available in formulations tailored by synthesis and dopants for conductivity, purity, or transparency. Key differences include Black SiC, Green SiC, Reaction-Bonded SiC (红细胞干细胞), Sintered SiC (SSC), and CVD SiC. Each optimizes the phase (a/b) for its application. Breakdown:

Black silicon carbide (黑碳化硅)

Overview : Manufactured in an Eichson furnace at 2200-2500°C from petroleum coke/silica, 97-99% SiC with iron impurities.

Improvements : Economical ($10–20/kg), high viscosity (K_IC 4) for bulk abrasives; suitable for grinding balls in heavy mills.

Applications : Grinding wheels, refractories, wear tiles in mining/cement and SiC grinding balls for efficient ore grinding.

碳化硅陶瓷的优点

SiC 属性提供生命周期优势:

• 耐用性: 硬度使磨料/研磨球的寿命延长 10-30 倍, 停机时间 -60% 在工厂里.
• 适应性: -50°C 至 1600°C, 从低温到等离子体，应用广泛.
• 亮度: 60% 钢, 航空效率 +10%; 研磨球减少磨机的负荷.
• 最少的维护: 冲击温度 600°C, 受热/耐火不变形.
• 经济价值: 节能 40% 在半导体领域, 快速投资回报; 研磨球减少污染.
• 环境安全: 电动汽车低排放; 可回收用于绿色采矿.
• 性能可靠: 疲劳 >10⁷ 周期; 用于精密装甲的刚性.
• 摩擦耐久性: 自润滑μ<0,2, 功率损耗 -20% 在喷嘴中.
• 对身体友好: 骨整合 95%, 种植体磨损低.
• 热效率: 进行于 5 比氧化铝好几倍, LED 紧凑型散热器.
• 化学惰性: 无HF耐腐蚀, 对于化学泵至关重要.
• 带隙多功能性: 3 蓝色 LED 的 eV 高达 1200 电动汽车的动力.

碳化硅陶瓷的实际应用

SiC 在磨料/电子极端条件下大放异彩, 其硬度/导电性是不可替代的. 以下是扩展后的前 10 名:

现代工业中的十大应用

1. 碳化硅磨球: 球磨机中的高密度介质, 导出到 10 比钢低几倍, 研磨效率 +25%.
2. 磨料: 砂轮和砂纸, 去除材料 3 快几倍.
3. 耐火材料: 炉衬, 1600℃抗冲击性.
4. 半导体: MOSFET/SiC晶圆, 电动汽车效率 +30%, 范围 +20%.
5. 盔甲: V50板 >1200 多发性硬化症, 轻量级保护.
6. 航天: 1400°C 下的涡轮叶片/隔热罩.
7. 化工泵: 阀门/喷嘴, 耐 H2SO4/NaOH.
8. 医疗植入物: 低磨损 <0,01 毫米/年.
9. 蓄能器: 高密度阳极/电容器.
10. LED: 护垫 +50% 效率, -40% 成本.

应用领域

• 工业的: 磨料, 耐火材料, 泵, 研磨球.
• 电子产品: 用于 5G 和 EV 的二极管和晶体管.
• 航天: 高温屏幕和组件.
• 药品: 生物相容性植入物.
• 活力: 可再生能源电池和 LED.

SiC特性的结合巩固了其在高科技领域的地位, 市场估值为 $10 十亿千 2030 年.

先进碳化硅陶瓷: 掺杂和 CVD 变体

标准 SiC 不透明黑/绿, 然而 CVD 和掺杂 (不适用) 选项可提供红外半透明效果.

• 问题: 获得无缺陷生长.
• 方法: 4H-SiC外延.
• 应用领域: 射频5G, 量子器件.
• 前景: 纳米碳化硅 600 瓦/米·K; 用于超细研磨的高密度复合材料.

碳化硅陶瓷部件是如何制造的?

SiC 部件通过粉末和蒸汽工艺形成，以提高密度 >99%. 下面是工作流程:

1. 原料准备

SiO2/碳混合物或 CVD 前体 (SiH₄/C₃H₈). 用于研磨球 - 粉末 <10 微米.

2. 研磨和混合

磨碎至 1–5 μm; 添加粘合剂和掺杂剂.

3. 成型方法

• 干压: 对于球在 200 兆帕.
• 悬浮铸造: 用于衬里.
• CVD: 适用于 1000°C 的基材.

4. 脱脂

有机物去除温度高达 800°C.

5. 烧结

2000–2200°C, 氩气; 血红蛋白/红细胞干细胞; 用于高密度的 HIP.

6. 最终操作

金刚石研磨至 Ra 0,01 微米; 球排序 >99% 球形度.

7. 质量控制

X射线, ASTM 弯曲, 三坐标测量机.

8. 交货准备

包装有证书, 每年可扩展至数百万种产品.

出口: 95%, 国际标准化组织 9001.