Advantages of High Carbon Silicon vs. Ferrosilicon and Silicon Carbide
Aug 27, 2025
Comparative Advantages of High-Carbon Silicon vs. Ferrosilicon and Silicon Carbide
1. Metallurgical Deoxidation Performance Comparison
Deoxidation Efficiency
High carbon silicon's deoxidation reaction rate is 20%-30% faster than ferrosilicon. Its combined deoxidation mechanism simultaneously removes impurities such as sulfur and phosphorus from molten steel, reducing the cost of steel by approximately 15 yuan per ton.
Silicon carbide has a higher deoxidation efficiency (40% increase), but requires use with a wire feeder.
Environmental Performance
High carbon silicon reduces fluorite usage and fluorine emissions; silicon carbide dust emissions are 30% lower than ferrosilicon and slag volume is 15% less.
2. Material Performance Comparison
| Parameters | High carbon silicon | Ferrosilicon | Silicon carbide |
| Meltating point: | Above 1600°C | 1420-1480°C | 2715°C |
| Coefficient of thermal expansion: | 4.0×10⁻⁶/K | 8.0×10⁻⁶/K | 3.5×10⁻⁶/K |
| Corrosion resistance: | Moderate (oxidation protection required) | Susceptible to oxidation | Very strong (oxidation resistance) |
3. Differences in Application Scenarios
High Carbon Silicon:
Suitable for converter steelmaking, it can completely replace ferrosilicon and recarburizers. It is particularly suitable for steel grades with high desulfurization requirements (such as automotive steel).
Ferrosilicon:
A traditional deoxidizer, it is relatively low-cost but prone to dust pollution, and the deoxidized steel contains a high concentration of Al₂O₃ inclusions.
Silicon Carbide:
Used in precision casting (such as engine blocks) and high-temperature refractories, but is relatively expensive and requires pre-processing of the particle size.
4. Economic Analysis
Cost Savings: High carbon silicon has a 15%-20% lower overall cost than ferrosilicon. While silicon carbide has a higher deoxidation efficiency, its unit price is 1.5-2 times that of ferrosilicon.
Recovery Rate: High carbon silicon recovery rates are consistently above 90%, and manganese recovery rates can reach 90% in silicon carbide refining.
Summary and Recommendations
Prefer high carbon silicon: Choose when balancing cost and desulfurization efficiency.
Choose silicon carbide: For applications requiring extreme deoxidation or high-temperature environments.
Use ferrosilicon: For applications with limited budgets and less stringent inclusion requirements.
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