About Black Silicon Carbide
Since natural moissanite is very rare, most silicon carbide is synthetic. It is used as an abrasive and, more recently, as a gem-quality semiconductor and diamond imitation. The simplest manufacturing process involves mixing silica sand and carbon in an Acheson graphite resistance furnace at temperatures between 1,600 °C (2,910 °F) and 2,500 °C (4,530 °F). Fine SiO2 particles in plant material, such as rice husks, can be converted to SiC by heating excess carbon in organic materials.
Silica fume, a byproduct of the production of silicon metal and ferrosilicon alloys, can also be converted to SiC by heating it with graphite at 1,500 °C (2,730 °F).
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