The difference between metal silicon 441 and 553

As an additive to non-ferrous alloys, silicon metal is widely used in the steelmaking industry, so where is silicon metal used? What is the difference between metal silicon 441 and 553? Let's learn more about it.

Silicon metal, also known as crystalline silicon or industrial silicon, is mainly used as an additive for non-ferrous alloys. Silicon metal is a product smelted from quartz and coke in an electric furnace. The main component silicon content is about 98%, and the remaining impurities are iron, aluminum, calcium, etc.

In my country, metal silicon is usually classified according to the content of three main impurities: iron, aluminum and calcium. According to the percentage content of iron, aluminum and calcium in metal silicon, metal silicon can be divided into different grades such as 553, 441, 411, 421, 3303, 3305, 2202, 2502, 1501, 1101 and so on. In each grade, the first and second codes are the percentage content of iron and aluminum, and the third and fourth two digits represent the content of calcium, so 553 represents the content of iron, aluminum and calcium in metal silicon is 0.5%, 0.5% %, 0.3%; 441 represents 0.4%, 0.4%, 0.1% of iron, aluminum and calcium in metal silicon

It can be seen that the difference between 441 and 553 is the difference in purity. The silicon content of 553 is ≥98.7%, while the silicon content of 441 is ≥99.1%. Specifically, industrial silicon is obtained by the high-temperature reaction of quartz and carbon in a submerged arc furnace. : SIO2+C=SI+CO2. Quartz has poor quality and good quality, and carbon as a reducing agent also has poor quality and good quality. The difference in these raw materials determines the purity of industrial silicon. From a cost point of view, obviously the higher the quality of raw materials, the more expensive they are.