Silicon Carbide Definition

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a hard, synthetically produced crystalline compound widely used as an abrasive and wear-resistant material, in refractories and ceramics applications, as well as being the semiconductor substrate for light emitting diodes (LED).

EFM semiconductors also outshone traditional silicon semiconductors in high-voltage environments like those found in electric vehicle (EV) power devices, providing superior performance by minimizing losses in voltage and current as well as shrinking and lightening essential battery management components while decreasing size and weight.

Silicon Carbide

Silicon carbide is an inert ceramic compound composed of silicon and carbon. With a Mohs hardness rating of 9, it stands third only behind boron carbide (9.5) and diamond (10). Silicon carbide has high mechanical durability while remaining chemically inert; making it perfect for hard surface protection applications like machine tools.

Pure carbon nanotubes contain four carbon atoms arranged into four carbon tetrahedra, covalently bound together by silicon bonds. This arrangement allows for polymorphism with various crystal structures and phases.

SiC’s crystalline structure results in its superior electrical properties, including wide band-gap semiconductor (WBG) characteristics essential to electronic applications. A larger band gap allows electrons to leave orbit faster, leading to higher frequencies and quicker operations than with conventional silicon devices.

As a base material, silicon can be doped with nitrogen, phosphorus, gallium, boron and aluminum to produce n-type semiconductors. Furthermore, silicon-free transistors can reduce cost and power consumption by as much as 40%.

Silicon Carbide (SiC) can operate up to 300deg C, making it an excellent material choice for applications in high temperature environments such as electric vehicle motors. SiC can eliminate the need for active cooling systems which add weight, cost and complexity – which translates to greater range and faster charging times for these vehicles.

Semiconductor

Silicon carbide has long been recognized for its unique electrical properties that make it highly useful in electronics. Semiconductors, which alternate between acting like conductors (like copper electrical wiring) and insulators ( polymer insulation covering those wires), make up semiconductor materials used to construct integrated circuits, discrete electronic components like diodes and transistors, which conduct electricity under certain conditions; their conductivity can even be altered via stimulation via electric currents, electromagnetic fields or light stimulation.

Silicon carbide stands out from traditional semiconductors by having an extremely wide bandgap. This means it requires much more energy to move electrons from valence band into conduction band; consequently, silicon carbide boasts very low power losses – an invaluable quality when used for high voltage applications, like electric vehicle traction inverters.

Silicon carbide has long been utilized for various uses in industry and academia, from blasting grits and carborundum printmaking tools to thermal, electrical and mechanical engineering applications. Recently, however, demand has skyrocketed due to its low thermal expansion rates, high strength-to-hardness ratio and ability to withstand hostile environments.

Ceramic

Silicon and carbon combine to produce an attractive material with excellent mechanical, chemical and thermal properties. It boasts extreme hardness – as much as twice that of diamond on Mohs’ scale – as well as superior thermal shock resistance relative to other refractory materials.

Ceramic refers to an inorganic, nonmetallic material which is extremely flexible when unfired but hardens significantly during firing processes. Ceramics cover various categories; for instance:

Ceramics are used primarily as refractories, inorganic materials that provide resistance against heat and chemical wear and corrosion. Ceramics come in all sorts of shapes and colors and are used across industries. Important uses for bioceramics include fire protection, superconductors and inducing biological responses from cells. Bioactive ceramics may either be intrinsically bioactive, or can be made so through surface treatments or filling ceramic pores with pharmaceutically active substances. Silicon carbide is widely used for automobile brake discs that significantly reduce friction and emissions while withstanding high temperatures without needing active cooling systems that add weight, complexity, and cost. Furthermore, its use forms the basis of many abrasives and cutting tools.

Automotive

Silicon carbide (SiC) is an extremely tough material ranked ninth on Mohs scale, between alumina (9) and diamond (10). Silicon carbide was first artificially synthesized by American inventor Edward Acheson in 1891 when attempting to manufacture artificial diamonds but instead discovered small black crystals of SiC in his electrically heated melt of carbon and alumina that were ground into powder form for industrial abrasives. Nobel-Prize winning chemist Henri Moissan observed the compound naturally as transparent mineral called moissanite in 1905.

Silicon carbide’s unique atomic structure and semiconductor properties make it ideal for electronic applications like diodes, transistors and power devices. It has ten times greater voltage resistance than traditional silicon and performs even better in systems exceeding 1000V, making it the ideal material to meet the high voltage demands associated with electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and energy management systems.

SiC can significantly improve switching efficiencies while also helping to decrease size and weight of essential EV components, such as DC-to-DC converters, onboard chargers and battery management systems. These advances could bring emission-free driving closer to mass adoption. GlobalData analysis identifies over 10 companies–ranging from technology vendors and established automotive companies to up-and-coming start-ups–using silicon carbide for innovative solutions.