Utilization of silicon powder

The latent resources of silicon powder are more than 150,000 tons per year. As early as the forties and fifties of 20th century, the foreign countries conduct comprehensive utilization of silica fume. Silica fume has been widely used in many areas.

Totally enclosed electric furnace smelting ferrosilicon generally use wet flue gas purification, the use of silicon powder and mud of the treated water heaters gas recovery as the smelting furnace raw material. Dust and mud in rotary kilns plus the oxidizing or reducing agent, and continue heating to 800-1400  or so, this treatment can get rid of harmful substances in the silica dust and mud, while the formation of pellets. Harmful substances phenol and cyanide carbon and asphalt like substance in the pellets were removed and treated pellets to return to the silicon metal, ferrosilicon smelting as a raw material. At present, the United States, Soviet Union, Norway and other countries have the patent of the silica fume made the ball of the ball equipment.

The silica fume is used in the cement industry which is similar to concrete add material. And some countries have continuous development in this application, the development of a variety of blended cement, the quality of manganese powder is better than ordinary cement. The Soviet Union had silica dust in the production of lightweight cement, the results show that the lower water-cement ratio has a high acid resistance and fire resistance. The United Kingdom has a tensile strength of 160 MPa Portland cement materials produced using silica fume, which is the current application of a maximum tensile strength of structural materials, has been used in the manufacture of some flexibility. Silica fume particle size is very small, than mourning surface and active, so the densification of silica fume can produce ultra-fine particles based cement. The use of low water / cement ratio, a higher polymer dosage, special conservation laws can be obtained the strength 10 times the ordinary Portland cement concrete. This material instead of cast iron, suitable for the production of particular industrial equipment components.

Silica fume’s chemical composition and physical properties are similar to the silica. So silica fume is good filler used in the rubber industry. Rubber added to the silica dust can progress to the elongation, tear and aging degree. The rubber has good dielectric properties, low water absorption capacity. And carbon black with the same time into the elastic stretched rubber raw materials to increase strength and tear resistance. In order to prevent the fertilizer caking, generally mica or diatomaceous earth for special treatment, and high cost. The application of silica fume can replace the expensive treatment of materials, but is necessary to correctly grasp the proportion used. Norway, France and Italy are using this approach, the application of the anti-caking agent works well.

Some metal powder suppliers do ongoing research and explorations in silica dust from smelting siliceous alloys and find reliable sales. In addition to find valuable uses of the above, they also find that the dust can be used for the production of refractory materials, edge material and anti-sintering agent. In the preparation of resins and other polymer compounds based polymer products, silica dusts are used. Meanwhile, silicon powder can be used as a substitute and added material for black, silica, talc, asbestos, gas solvents and other objects. In addition, silicon fume can also be used to improve the soil. For example, a mixture of silicon powder and cellulose plant with processing program can enhance soil fertility.Source:http://www.mhcmp.com