In high-temperature industrial production processes, the efficiency and service life of equipment are of utmost importance. The operation of furnaces, in particular, relies heavily on materials with a long service life to ensure minimal downtime and maximize return on investment.

Therefore, thermal insulation materials are highly specialized and designed according to the specific specifications of different furnaces.

During high-temperature processing, there is a constant and unremitting pursuit of materials that can withstand extreme conditions. In this context, silicon carbide rods are an ideal choice. Their properties endow them with a high degree of abrasion resistance, and their low coefficient of thermal expansion and high thermal conductivity further enhance this characteristic. But what exactly makes these silicon carbide rods so outstanding?

A Deep Dive into Silicon Carbide (SiC)

Silicon carbide (SiC), sometimes also known as carborundum, was discovered by Henri Moissan. This material is produced through the reaction between silica sand and carbon, and different particle sizes can be provided depending on its intended use.

Silicon carbide rods are versatile non-metallic high-temperature electric heating elements made of high-purity silicon carbide. Due to their excellent mechanical, thermal, and chemical properties, they are widely used in industries such as electronics, magnetic materials, powder metallurgy, ceramics, glass, and semiconductors. These rods are crucial in high-temperature applications and can be used as heating elements in tunnel kilns, roller kilns, vacuum furnaces, muffle furnaces, smelting furnaces, and other heating equipment. In addition, they are also used in scientific research, analysis, and testing, as well as in high-tech fields such as semiconductors, nuclear energy, and space technology. Their ability to withstand extreme temperatures, resist thermal shock, and provide stable performance makes them indispensable in both traditional and advanced industrial applications.

Special Application Areas of Silicon Carbide Rods

Positioning Pins

In welding operations, silicon carbide rods are used as positioning pins due to their excellent strength, thermal stability, and abrasion resistance. These properties make them highly suitable for maintaining the precise alignment of components during the welding process, especially in high-temperature environments where metal pins may deform, while silicon carbide rods will not. The thermal resilience of silicon carbide ensures that the positioning pins do not distort or deform under intense heat, thus maintaining the accuracy of component positioning.

Silicon Carbide Rods

Furthermore, the hardness and abrasion resistance of silicon carbide minimize wear and deformation, ensuring that these positioning pins can be reused repeatedly without changing shape or failing. The combination of high strength, durability, and thermal stability makes silicon carbide rods an essential tool in precision welding operations, especially in industries where high-performance materials and strict tolerances are the norm.

Extensometers

Silicon carbide rods are an indispensable component for extensometers because of their excellent stiffness, extremely low creep, and strong thermal stability, which are crucial for accurate deformation measurement in material testing. The inherent rigidity and stability of silicon carbide rods contribute to high-precision measurements, which is essential in situations where the behavior of materials under stress needs to be precisely monitored, ensuring reliable and consistent data in critical material research and testing scenarios.

Spray Coating

Silicon carbide rods are highly suitable for thermal spraying applications, as in these applications, the coating needs to have excellent hardness, thermal conductivity, and thermal shock resistance. Silicon carbide rods are usually heated to extremely high temperatures by flame heating or plasma heating and then sprayed onto the substrate, where they cool and solidify rapidly on the surface of the substrate. This process ensures a highly uniform surface coating, greatly improving the robustness of the substrate. Silicon carbide coatings add great value to components in demanding industries. They provide excellent tribological properties for safety-critical components such as wind turbine bearings and can extend the service life and improve the operating efficiency of gas turbine blades. The application range of silicon carbide coatings is very wide, and therefore, the applicable range of silicon carbide rods is also extensive.