Silicon Carbide: High-Performance Material for Diverse Applications

Why in the news?

Silicon Carbide (SiC) is gaining attention for its unique combination of hardness, thermal stability, and electrical conductivity, driving its use in aerospace, semiconductors, and industrial applications, making it essential for various high-tech industries.

Silicon Carbide: High-Performance Material for Diverse Applications

Key Properties of Silicon Carbide:

  • Extreme Hardness: Among the hardest ceramic materials, just below diamond, cubic boron nitride, and boron carbide.
  • Thermal Stability: Exceptional thermal conductivity and low thermal expansion, offering resistance to high temperatures.
  • Superior Mechanical Strength: High wear resistance, oxidation resistance, and excellent fracture toughness.
  • Semiconducting Nature: Exhibits electrical conductivity between metals and insulators, making it ideal for electronics and power devices.

Importance Across Industries

Silicon Carbide’s combination of thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties makes it a crucial material in various industries, from manufacturing to advanced electronics, aerospace, and defense technologies. It continues to drive innovations in multiple high-performance applications.

Applications of Silicon Carbide:

  • Abrasives & Cutting Tools: Used in grinding wheels, sandpapers, and cutting tools due to its hardness.
  • Refractory & Industrial Use: Employed in furnace linings, heating elements, and wear-resistant pump parts for industrial applications.
  • Aerospace & Defense: Utilized in rocket engine components and high-stress structural applications.
  • Semiconductor Industry: Forms substrates for LEDs and high-power electronic devices, crucial for energy-efficient technologies.

Sources Referred:

PIB, The Hindu, Indian Express, Hindustan Times