ThermaSiC – Thermal spray of silicon carbide (SiC) made possible
We are the world’s first to find a method for applying one of the world’s hardest substances, silicon carbide (SiC), as a protective layer with thermal spraying. The use of silicon carbide has enabled us to produce a uniquely durable and lightweight ceramic.
ThermaSiC gives your products extended lifetime, lower maintenance costs, and a competitive advantage.
Combining Silicon Carbide and thermal spraying has been the most significant advancement in the industry for decades and is disrupting the market for thermal spray coatings.
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Environmentally friendly
In addition to its unique properties, the product can improve companies’ ecological footprint by extending the lifetime of critical components and reducing waste production and use of resources.
The product is also more environmentally friendly than other coatings, as silicon carbide is non-toxic, inert, and made from sand and a carbon source – readily available ingredients. Using ThermaSiC instead of coatings based on heavy or transition metals brings us closer to a more sustainable society.
How does it work?
The thermal spraying of silicon carbide is made possible by chemically depositing a protective layer on each silicon carbide particle. The protective layer acts as an oxidation protector and melts during thermal spraying to allow some plastic deformation and build a coating layer.
The coated particles are then agglomerated to free-flowing granules for easy handling and can be classified into differently sized fractions. 15 to 45 microns is our most-sold size range, with other ranges available upon request. ThermaSiC 15-45 can be sprayed by HVOF and APS processes.
Before spraying, the surface of the component is grit blasted to ensure that the coating sticks to the surface. The coated component is immediately ready for use after spraying, with no need for heat treatment or sealants. The coating can be polished if desired.
The coating can be re-applied after removing the existing coating. For metals, this can easily be achieved by grit blasting.
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Key properties
- Superior corrosion and abrasion protection
- Heat resistant
- Extreme hardness
- Low weight
- High deposit efficiency
- Very dense (<1% porosity)
- Low surface roughness (4-6μm Ra as sprayed)
- Can be ground and polished to Ra <0.03
- Thin or thick coatings (<50um to >5000um)
Thermal barrier coating and corrosion protection
ThermaSiC provides superior coating performance in corrosive and abrasive environments and at high temperatures, up to between 1400°C and 1700°C, depending on the application.
Silicon carbide has been used as a refractory since it was first patented in 1893. However, the breakthrough of being able to use it as a coating through thermal spraying enables the material’s refractory properties to protect steel, aluminum, and other materials in ways never before possible.
Lower weight and lower cost
SiC is one of the world’s hardest synthetic materials, only exceeded by diamond, cubic boron nitride, and boron carbide. It also possesses lower density than competing solutions such as tungsten carbide, making it attractive in applications where low weight is essential.
Compared to vacuum deposition methods (PVD or CVD), thermal spraying of ThermaSiC has higher deposition rates and efficiency and a significantly lower cost. In addition, ThermaSiC is specially designed to be used in atmospheric thermal spray conditions, suppressing the need for expensive and size-limiting vacuum chambers.
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