What is the difference between the uses of silicon and silica?

Metal silicon (Si) is industrially purified elemental silicon. It is mainly used to produce organic silicon, prepare high-purity semiconductor materials, and prepare alloys for special purposes.

(1) Produces silicone rubber, silicone resin, silicone oil and other silicones

Silicone rubber has good elasticity and high temperature resistance. It is used to make medical supplies, high temperature resistant gaskets, etc. Silicone resin is used to produce insulating paint, high-temperature coatings, etc. Silicone oil is an oily substance whose viscosity is very little affected by temperature. It is used to produce lubricants, polishes, fluid springs, dielectric liquids, etc. It can also be processed into a colorless and transparent liquid and sprayed on buildings as a waterproofing agent. object surface.

Manufacturing high-purity semiconductors

Modern large-scale integrated circuits are almost all made of high-purity metallic silicon , and high-purity metallic silicon is also the main raw material for the production of optical fibers. It can be said that metallic silicon has become a basic pillar industry in the information age.

Prepared alloy

Silicon aluminum alloy is a silicon alloy that is used in large quantities. Silicon-aluminum alloy is a strong composite deoxidizer. Replacing pure aluminum in the steelmaking process can improve the utilization rate of the deoxidizer, purify the molten steel, and improve the quality of the steel. Silicon-aluminum alloy has low density, low thermal expansion coefficient, good casting performance and anti-wear performance. Alloy castings cast with it have high impact resistance and good high-pressure densification, which can greatly increase the service life. It is commonly used in the production of aerospace vehicles. and auto parts.

Silicon copper alloy has good welding performance and is resistant to impact It is not easy to generate sparks, has explosion-proof function, and can be used to make storage tanks.

Adding silicon to steel to make silicon steel sheets can greatly improve the magnetic permeability of steel, reduce hysteresis and eddy current losses, and can be used to make iron cores for transformers and motors to improve the performance of transformers and motors. With the development of science and technology, the application fields of metallic silicon will be further expanded.

Silica is used to manufacture glass, quartz glass, water Glass, optical fibers, important components of the electronics industry, optical instruments, handicrafts and raw materials for refractory materials are important materials for scientific research.

Uses of silica : flat glass, glass products, foundry sand, glass fiber, ceramic glaze, anti-rust sandblasting, filtration Sand, flux, refractory materials and the manufacture of lightweight foam concrete (Autoclaved Lightweight Concrete). Silica has many uses. The few crystals found in nature can be used to manufacture important components in the electronics industry, optical instruments and handicrafts. Silica is an important raw material for manufacturing optical fibers.

Generally pure quartz, Can be used to make quartz glass. The expansion coefficient of quartz glass is very small, equivalent to 1/18 of ordinary glass.It can withstand drastic changes in temperature and has good acid resistance (except HF). Therefore, quartz glass is often used to manufacture high-temperature chemical instruments. Quartz sand is commonly used as glass raw material and building materials.