Silicon carbide (SiC)

Silicon carbide (SiC) is an inorganic compound made up of silicon and carbon atoms in a 1:1 ratio, arranged in a tetrahedral lattice structure through strong covalent bonding. SiC exists in over 200 polytypes, primarily distinguished by varying stacking sequences of the silicon-carbon layers, with the cubic (β-SiC, 3C), hexagonal (4H-SiC, 6H-SiC), and rhombohedral forms being the most important industry-wise. It is renowned for its exceptional hardness (Mohs ~9-13, next to diamond and boron carbide), high thermal conductivity, chemical inertness, and significant resistance to high temperatures and abrasion. Applications include abrasives, refractory materials, heating elements, structural ceramics, and as a semiconductor material for high-power, high-temperature electronics. Silicon carbide is not a biological drug target or biomacromolecule, and it has no established role in drug discovery or medical therapeutics.

Other names

CarborundumSiCBlack silicon carbideSilicon carbidSimaxBoiling chipsSilicon carbide black