silicon carbide cas is a very hard and brittle material that combines the elements silicon and carbon. It is very tough and wear resistant and also has good acid resistance. It is used in abrasive tools, ceramic kiln furniture and as a refractory to produce nonferrous metals. It is produced by a chemical reaction between pure silica sand and finely ground coke inside brick electrical resistance-type furnaces. An electric current passes through the conductor built into the furnace wall, bringing about a chemical reaction in which silicon from the sand and carbon in the coke combine to form silicon carbide (SiC) and carbon monoxide gas.
It is insoluble in water and most acids, but soluble in alkalis such as sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide. It is insoluble in molten aluminium oxide and molten iron. It is a very dense material with a crystalline appearance and a colour ranging from yellow to green to bluish black, depending on purity.
The crystals can be bonded together by sintering to form very hard ceramics with a wide range of uses. It is an important raw material for the manufacture of abrasive grinding wheels and metal cutting tools. It is also used in refractory brick, furnace linings, and in grinding stones for glass, porcelain, granite and brick. It is also found in jet engine nozzles and rocket combustion chamber nozzles, and in gas filters for high-temperature applications. It is very hard and wear resistant, a desirable property for many applications such as sandblasting injectors and automotive water pump seals.