Table of Contents
Silicates
Silicate minerals are the most frequent since silicon and oxygen are the most plentiful elements. Because silicate minerals make up the majority of crustal rocks, geologists and mineralogists pay close attention to them. With oxygen and silicon accounting for around 85 percent of the atoms in the Earth’s crust, most minerals in the crust contain these two elements and comprise the silicate class of minerals.
Almost all silicates have structures that are based on the [SiO4]-4 tetrahedron. Each oxygen atom in a [SiO4]–4 tetrahedra has only half of its -2 charge fulfilled by the Si-O bond (bond strength = 1) and must therefore be connected to additional cations. When oxygen is bound to two Si atoms, the coordination polyhedra of oxygens around those two Si atoms share corners, and the oxygen in common has its charge totally balanced by the two Si-O bonds. Because [SiO4]-4 tetrahedra can share corners and perfectly balance oxygen charges locally, a wide range of silicate configurations are feasible.
Silicates are classified into three types: (i) orthosilicates, (ii) pyrosilicates, and (iii) cyclic silicates.
Silicon Carbide
Silicon carbide is a substance that ranges from black to green in colour and is composed of 70% silicon and 30% carbon. Silicon carbide is a significant non-oxide ceramic with several industrial uses. It possesses unique qualities such as high hardness and strength, chemical and thermal stability, high melting point, oxidation resistance, strong erosion resistance, and so on.
Only a limited quantity exists in nature, where coal and sand have been exposed to each other in the presence of high heat. Because there are no economically viable reserves, the material is made for practical application. All of these characteristics combine to make silicon carbide an ideal material for high-power, high-temperature electrical devices, as well as abrasion and cutting applications. Since Acheson’s inception of the manufacturing method in 1892, there has been a significant amount of study documented on silicon carbide synthesis.
It has fascinating electrical properties due to its semiconductor features, with resistance ranging by as much as seven orders of magnitude between various compositions. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and detectors are examples of electrical equipment that use this material.
FAQs
Q. What are the health implications of silicon?
Ans:
- Silicon dust has a little negative effect on the lungs and does not appear to cause severe toxic effects or organic illness when exposed to exposure limits.
- Because silicon dioxide (crystalline silica) is a significant respiratory danger, it has the potential to induce persistent respiratory problems.
- When silicon crystalline comes into touch with the eyes or skin, it causes irritation. Because of the inflammation, it causes eye-watering and redness. Inhaling silicon will irritate the mucous membranes and lungs. Itching, reddening, and scaling are all symptoms of skin inflammation.
Q. Write Comments on the hardness of silicon carbide
Ans:
- Silicon carbide has the capacity to produce a very strong ceramic material, making it ideal for applications such as brakes and clutches in automobiles, as well as bulletproof vests.
- In addition to preserving its strength at temperatures as high as 1400°C, this ceramic has the best corrosion resistance of any advanced ceramic.
