Silicon Metal

Silicon metal is a type of alloying agent that, with its unique properties, enhances the strength of metals such as aluminum. The main components in silicon metal include varying percentages of silicon, aluminum, calcium, and small amounts of other elements. Silicon was first produced in 1960. It is a non-metal element with a gray color that is very brittle and hard. By mass, silicon comprises approximately 27.7% of the Earth’s total mass and is also the second most abundant element in the Earth’s crust. Silicon is mostly found in the form of combined minerals like silicon dioxide and silicates. Different types of silicon metal are categorized based on the amounts of elements like calcium, iron, and aluminum in their composition, including 553, 441, 421, 3303, 3305, 2202, 2502, 1501, and 1101, but the most commonly used type is 441.

Silicon Metal

It is categorized into industrial silicon and metallurgical silicon.

Industrial Silicon

Industrial silicon is added to various metals like aluminum and iron to improve their properties. It is most often used as an additive in the production of aluminum alloys, especially in the automotive industry. Therefore, the price of industrial silicon significantly affects the prices of various cars and motorcycles. Industrial silicons can be converted into single-crystal silicon and can be used in chemical and electronics industries.

Metallurgical Silicon

Metallurgical silicon is a type of widely used alloying material in the aluminum industry. Adding this material to aluminum makes it lighter and increases its strength. This aluminum alloy is extensively used in the aerospace industry. Additionally, the addition of this material allows for the use of lighter components in various industries.

Applications of Silicon Metal

Silicon is a metal with a shiny gray color known as silicon metal. This metal is produced through electric arc furnace melting, a power-intensive process. Silicon is often used as a hardening element or alloy in the production of aluminum, solar cells, and microprocessors.

Silicon, a semiconductor metal with a gray, shiny color, is used in the production of steel, solar cells, and microchips. This element is the second most abundant element in the Earth’s crust (after oxygen) and the eighth most common element in the universe. Approximately 30% of the Earth’s crust weight is attributed to silicon metal. This element is a metalloid (or semimetal) that possesses some common properties of both metals and non-metals.

Production of Silicon Metal

The majority of silicon metal produced each year (approximately 80%) is used as ferrosilicon in the iron and steel industries. Ferrosilicon can contain silicon in the range of 15 to 90 percent, varying according to the needs of the smelting plant.

This alloy of iron and silicon is produced through submerged electric arc furnaces and using a reaction of smelting and reduction. In this process, silica-rich ore and a carbon source like coke coal (metallurgical carbon) are crushed and prepared in the furnace along with scrap iron. At temperatures above 1900 degrees Celsius (3450 degrees Fahrenheit), carbon reacts with the oxygen present in the ore to produce carbon monoxide gas. Subsequently, the remaining iron and silicon combine to form molten ferrosilicon, which can be collected by striking the base of the furnace.

After cooling and hardening, ferrosilicon can be handled and used directly in the iron and steel industries. This process, excluding iron, is also used to produce metallurgical-grade silicon with a purity of more than 99 percent. Metallurgical silicon is also employed in steel smelting, aluminum casting alloys, and silane chemicals.

Purchase Silicon Metal

Avangard Company, with more than two decades of experience in supplying casting raw materials such as silicon, with the best quality and suitable prices, is ready to provide services to dear customers.

Silicon Metal Price

To inquire about the price and purchase of various types of silicon metal with the best quality and most economical price, contact Avangard Holding’s sales experts.

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