Silicon carbide: all about this serendipitous discovery

So many important discoveries that we know of today were serendipitous discoveries, which means that they were all discovered accidentally. For example, discovery of microwaves, X-rays, pacemakers, cereals, etc. We can all agree that we are all thankful for those accidents. Some of these discoveries have made our lives easier or have properties that have been shown to be beneficial to us. One of those discoveries is silicon carbide (SiC). It is a compound of Silicon and Carbon.

This compound has been used for almost a hundred years. It is an important substance for sandpaper, cutting tools, etc. It has other applications that have increased in recent times. For example, SiC is used in: light-emitting diodes, industrial furnaces, even rocket engines, etc. Let us know more about this compound.

Compound History:

The American inventor Edward G. Acheson in 1891 discovered silicon carbide by accident. He was trying to produce artificial diamonds. He heated a mixture of clay and powdered coke in an iron pot, where the pot and a carbon arc served as electrodes. Bright green crystals were found attached to the carbon electrode. The new compound was as hard as diamond and was called carborundum. The name of the production process was thus called the Acheson process.

Eureka!

It was an amazing and important discovery. Acheson was able to form a substance hard enough to cut glass. This compound was initially used to polish gems. This new product was easily obtained from raw materials that were readily available at a cheap price. Therefore, these could be produced in large quantities. Soon, it became an important industrial abrasive (an abrasive is used to polish or clean hard surfaces). Who thought that an accident would provide the world with an important discovery?

Silicon Carbide Properties:

– It has low density and high resistance.

– Resistant to high temperatures.

– Resistant to thermal shocks.

– Wear resistant.

– Exceptional chemical resistance.

– Low thermal expansion.

– High thermal conductivity.

Silicon Carbide Applications:

– It is used in abrasive and cutting tools. It is a very popular abrasive and is made of low-cost materials, it is highly durable.

– It is used in the production of structural material. For example, furniture and accessories for ovens, trauma plates in ballistic vests, etc.

– Used in automotive parts such as ceramic brake discs.

– Used in electrical systems.

– Power electronic devices is another application of SiC. Since SiC exhibits the properties of a semiconductor, it is used in high-voltage devices.

– LEDs that are based on the phenomenon of electroluminescence, were based on SiC.

– SiC is a desirable mirror material in the Astronomical Telescope.

– Used in heating elements.

– Used as a heterogeneous support for catalysts.

– SiC has application in nuclear fuel particles. It is an important material in TRISO-coated fuel particles.

– Used for the production of graphene.

– Acts as fuel for the manufacture of steel.

These applications mentioned above are some of the ways in which silicon carbide can be used. Although Acheson accidentally discovered SiC, it proved to be a very useful compound for the industrial sector, as well as in the field of science. What do you think?