Silicon metal, also known as crystalline silicon or industrial silicon, is mainly used as an additive for non-ferrous alloys. Silicon is a non-metallic element, gray in color, metallic in color, hard and brittle. The content of silicon accounts for about 26% of the mass of the earth’s crust; the atomic weight is 28.80; the density is 2.33g/m3; the melting point is 1410.
Uses of metal silicon: Metal silicon (Si) is industrially purified elemental silicon, which is mainly used for the production of organic silicon, the preparation of high-purity semiconductor materials, and the preparation of alloys for special purposes.
(1) Production of organic silicon such as silicone rubber, silicone resin, and silicone oil
Silicone rubber has good elasticity and high temperature resistance, and is used to make medical supplies, high temperature resistant gaskets, etc.
Silicone resin is used in the production of insulating varnishes, high-temperature coatings, etc.
Silicone oil is an oily substance whose viscosity is little affected by temperature. It is used to produce high-grade lubricants, glazing agents, fluid springs, dielectric liquids, etc. It can also be processed into colorless and transparent liquids and sprayed as high-grade waterproofing agents. on the surface of buildings.
(2) Manufacture of high-purity semiconductors
Almost all modern large-scale integrated circuits are made of high-purity metal silicon, and high-purity metal silicon is also the main raw material for the production of optical fibers. It can be said that metal silicon has become the basic pillar industry of the information age.
(3) Alloy preparation
Silicon-aluminum alloy is the most used silicon alloy. Silicon-aluminum alloy is a strong composite deoxidizer, which can improve the utilization rate of deoxidizer when replacing pure aluminum in the steelmaking process, and can purify molten steel and improve steel quality. Silicon-aluminum alloy has low density, low thermal expansion coefficient, good casting performance and wear resistance. The alloy castings cast with it have high impact resistance and good high-pressure compactness, which can greatly improve the service life. It is often used to produce aerospace vehicles and auto parts.
Silicon-copper alloy has good welding performance, and it is not easy to generate sparks when it is impacted. It has explosion-proof function and can be used to make storage tanks.
Adding silicon to steel to make silicon steel sheets can greatly improve the magnetic permeability of steel, reduce hysteresis and eddy current loss, and use it to manufacture iron cores for transformers and motors to improve the performance of transformers and motors.
With the development of science and technology, the application field of metal silicon will be further expanded.
