This section provides an overview for silicon carbide as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 17 silicon carbide manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked silicon carbide companies as of November, 2024: 1.CoorsTek, Inc., 2.Microchip Technology Inc., 3.Advanced Abrasives Corporation.
Table of Contents
Silicon carbide (SiC) consists of silicon (Si) and carbon (C). It is not found naturally on Earth, but rather in meteorites. Due to its high hardness and wear resistance, it is extensively utilized in abrasives and refractory materials. While pure silicon carbide is colorless and transparent, it is typically black when used industrially.
High-purity silicon carbide is notably gaining traction as a superior material for power semiconductors, aimed at outperforming traditional silicon semiconductors.
Characterized by its high hardness, wear resistance, thermal conductivity, and corrosion resistance, silicon carbide is ideal for use in mechanical seals, shafts, and other sliding parts. It also serves in the manufacture of classifier and crusher parts, as well as in heat-resistant components like high-temperature test equipment and metal-melting crucibles.
In addition, SiC power semiconductors are employed in hybrid electric vehicles (HEV).
Silicon carbide is insoluble in water, sublimating at 2,545°C, and thermally decomposing at temperatures above 2,800°C. It ranks 9.5 on the Mohs hardness scale, making it second only to diamond and boron carbide. Its large refractive index of 2.65 allows large crystals to have mirror-like reflectivity.
Although pure silicon carbide is transparent, industrial variants are green or black, with the color fading as the purity increases. Impurities such as aluminum and nitrogen in the crystal lattice account for its coloring. Green silicon carbide, due to its higher electrical resistance, is often used in heating elements.
As silicon atoms are larger than carbon atoms, the interatomic distance in SiC is greater than in carbon, resulting in lower thermal conductivity and increased softness.
Silicon and carbon in silicon carbide are covalently bonded, yet exhibit ionic characteristics due to their differing electronegativity, stabilizing as a 1:1 compound. Its molar mass is 40.097 g/mol, with a density of 3.22 g/cm3.
Atoms are tetrahedrally arranged around each other, with over 200 varieties based on the layer structure's repetition pattern. Primarily, there are two types: alpha (hexagonal) and beta (cubic).
α-Type silicon carbide powder can be produced by heating coke and silica stone above 2,100°C in an electric furnace, while β-type is obtained by heating carbon black and silicon to 1,800°C in an argon atmosphere.
In 1891, Edward Goodrich Acheson in the US synthesized silicon carbide by heating a coke and clay mixture with a carbon arc lamp, leading to the establishment of Carborundum Abrasives Co. and the industrial production of what is sometimes known as carborundum.
In 1905, Ferdinand Frédéric Henri Moissan discovered silicon carbide in a meteorite in Arizona, where it is also referred to as Moissanite in mineralogy.
Chemically inert, silicon carbide is insoluble in water, acids, and alkalis, and does not react with aqua regia or concentrated nitric acid. It remains unreactive towards N2, H2, or CO, but oxidizes at temperatures above 800°C in air, forming a protective SiO2 layer that slows further oxidation. It reacts with Cl2 above 800°C, producing C and SiCl4.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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Microchip Technology Incorporated was incorporated in 1989 and is headquartered in Chandler, Arizona. The company is a developer and manufacturer of control solutions for global markets including the automotive, industrial, communications, human-machine interface, and connectivity industries. The company’s products include microcontrollers, field-programmable gate array products, MOSFET and radio frequency products, and both wired and wireless communications products. The company’s services include wafer foundry and assembly services, test subcontracting manufacturing services, development tools for enabling system designers to program microcontrollers and processors, and timing system products.
Advanced Abrasives Corporation is based in Pennsauken, New Jersey, USA, and is a manufacturer of monocrystalline and polycrystalline diamond compounds. The company provides a broad product portfolio that includes diamond powder, aluminum oxide, boron carbide, cerium oxide, and silicon carbide. The products are used in various industries, including electronics and photonics for device mounting and precision grinding, as well as industrial and medical applications such as superabrasive tools and grinding wheels. The company caters to various industries, including medical, laboratories, electronics, metallography, and petrography.
CoorsTek, Inc., founded in 1910, is a family-run manufacturer of technical ceramic material formulations with products such as acetabular liners, baffle chambers, carbon brushes for power, focal plane array components, and precision fixed gauges used in transportation, food & beverage, electronic, chemicals, and semiconductor industries. The company in Golden, CO, USA, has research & development, custom manufacturing, and design assistance capabilities. The company's CIO- Matt Mehlbrech, was awarded the 2023 Colorado ORDIE Award for CIO of the Year.
Hosetract Industries is a manufacturer of heavy-duty hose reels for the industrial, commercial, and emergency response sectors established in 1985 and located in Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA. The company offers stainless steel reels for washdown operations or corrosive environments, spring retract reels for mobile or rapid response operations such as in fire brigades, and manual rewind reels for accommodating longer lengths of delivery hose. It also offers oxygen acetylene reels for limited space applications requiring high safety standards. The company’s products are used by manufacturers of work trucks, as well as by clients in the industrial and commercial sectors.
Washington Mills, established in 1868 with headquarters in North Grafton, Massachusetts, USA, is a manufacturer and distributor of abrasive grain and fused mineral products. Their products cater to industries such as aerospace, automotive, and construction, offering abrasive grain for cutting, grinding, and polishing materials like metal, wood, and plastics. Their fused mineral products find applications in refractory linings, abrasive wheels, and polishing compounds. Additionally, Washington Mills produces various other abrasive grain and fused mineral products, including silicon carbide, boron carbide, and alumina zirconia.
AGC Inc., founded in Amagasaki, Japan, in 1907 is a supplier of flat, automotive, display glass, chemicals, ceramics and other high-tech materials and components. The company's product portfolio includes Architectural glasses, Automotive glasses, Architectural Materials, performance chemicals and Biopharmaceuticals. Their products are used in markets such as Automotive and Transportation, Telecommunications, Industrial Automation, Healthcare and Medical Devices and Aerospace and Defense. They also offer custom packaging, warehousing, customer service and distribution services.
Hexoloy, a division of Saint-Gobain Ceramics, was established in1970s in Niagara Falls, New York, USA, is a manufacturer of advanced ceramic materials, including silicon carbide products. The company offers various products such as ceramic tubes, rods, plates, and components that have extreme hardness, advanced temperature resistance, and optimal corrosion resistance, making them ideal for harsh industrial environments. Industries spanning aerospace, semiconductors, and chemical processing use the products for applications like wear-resistant components, thermal insulation, and corrosion-resistant parts. Its specialization in advanced ceramics allows for customized solutions to address specific customer needs and offers advanced ceramic solutions.
Selee Advanced Ceramics (a division of Selee Corp.), founded in 1974 and based out of Gilberts, Illinois, United States, is a porous technical ceramics and metals manufacturer. The company offers solutions for firing high-temperature ceramics, calcining powders, and sintering powdered metal components. Its products include crucibles and ladle liners, kiln components, and ramming material specifically for use in the installation of preformed alumina crucibles and ladles. These products are used in investment casting and powder metal feedstock production, and the company also serves furnace and kiln original equipment manufacturers.
CeramSource, Inc. is based in East Brunswick, New Jersey, USA, and is a specialized supplier of TaoFibre thermal insulation products for the industrial sector originally established in 1999 as InterSource USA, Inc. The company primarily offers TaoFibre refractory ceramic fiber products such as paper, boards, and blankets. It also offers consultation, product development, and custom manufacturing services for clients with unique projects. The company chiefly serves clients in industrial engineering, energy exploration, and energy production operations.
NTK CERATEC CO., LTD., founded in 1951 and headquartered in Sendai, Japan, is a manufacturer of ceramic products. The company has been providing high-precision ceramic materials ranging from industrial machinery parts to parts for semiconductor and liquid crystal manufacturing equipment. Products from the company include vacuum chucks, electrostatic chucks, ceramic coatings, as well as phosphor plates, and refurbishment solutions. Its ceramic products also find utility as abrasion-resistant components in crushers and related machinery.
Kyocera Corporation was incorporated in 1946 in Kyoto, Japan as Kyoto Ceramics, but the name was later shortened to Kyocera. Kyocera is a multinational manufacturer and distributor of consumer products as well as industrial components including ceramic and electronic components used in the semiconductor, wireless communications, electronics, and wireless communications markets. Kyocera’s consumer products line includes smartphones and kitchenware such as ceramic knives, cookware, and drinkware. Ceramics are used in semiconductors, solar photovoltaic modules, as well as cutting tools. Kyocera’s electronics cameras, LCDs, medical products, and more.
Tomoe Engineering Co., Ltd., established in 1941 and located in Tokyo, Japan, is a manufacturer of decanter type centrifugal separators. The company offers a range of products, including gravity belt thickeners, HED-type dewatering centrifuges, disc-type centrifuges, rotary snails, and ASM tubular centrifuges, which cater to pharmaceuticals, food, chemistry, ships, electric power, and water treatment. The products are used in sludge dewatering, oil-water separation, clarification processes, liquid-liquid separation, and solids removal. The company’s expertise extends across diverse sectors, such as oil and gas and power generation.
Accuratus Corporation is a manufacturer and supplier of glass and ceramic materials and components that was established in 1977 in Washington, New Jersey, USA. The company offers its Accuflect-branded light reflecting ceramic material for infrared or laser applications, and its Macor-branded machinable glass material for mechanical or electrical applications. It also offers ceramic tubes and rods fabricated from materials such as silicon carbide, alumina, and zirconia. The company chiefly serves clients in the semiconductor, defense, and biotechnology industries.
With more than 20 years of experience in the field of concrete additives and abrasives, it is a leading supplier of silica fume, silicon carbide and related products in China.
Chonghong Industries Microwork Ltd., established in 2004 and headquartered in China, is a distributor of components made from industrial sapphire, ruby, and glass materials. The company’s products include sapphire and ruby nozzles, custom components, and silicon carbide substrates, catering to semiconductors, aeronautics, and optical sectors. It specializes in components, primarily single crystal sapphire and ruby materials, for OEMs across the fluidic, metrology, and chemical industries. The company also offers Zirconia Ceramic, Alumina Ceramic, and Carbide materials. Additionally, it provides custom services such as orifice fittings, kitting, and tubing assemblies facilitated by an on-site Class 10,000 clean room.
Ranking as of November 2024
Derivation MethodRank | Company | Click Share |
---|---|---|
1 | CoorsTek, Inc. |
18.8%
|
2 | Microchip Technology Inc. |
11.0%
|
3 | Advanced Abrasives Corporation |
7.5%
|
4 | Washington Mills |
7.2%
|
5 | Ningxia Darshan Silicon Industry Co.,Ltd |
6.4%
|
6 | AGC Inc. |
5.8%
|
7 | SELEE |
5.7%
|
8 | Saint-Gobain Ceramics - Hexoloy |
5.4%
|
9 | CeramSource, Inc. |
5.0%
|
10 | Hosetract Industries |
5.0%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the silicon carbide page as of November 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
---|---|---|
United States of America | 5 | 55.6% |
Japan | 3 | 33.3% |
China | 1 | 11.1% |