Silicon iron is an indispensable deoxidizer in the steelmaking industry. In steel, silicon iron is used for precipitation deoxidation and diffusion deoxidation. Pig iron is also used as an alloying agent in steelmaking. Adding a certain amount of silicon to the steel can significantly enhance its strength, hardness, and elasticity, increase its magnetic permeability, and reduce the magnetic hysteresis loss of transformer steel. Generally, the silicon content in steel is 0.15% - 0.35%, in structural steel it is 0.40% - 1.75%, in tool steel it is 0.30% - 1.80%, in spring steel it is 0.40% - 2.80%, in stainless and acid-resistant steel it is 3.40% - 4.00%, in heat-resistant steel it is 1.00% - 3.00%, and in silicon steel it is 2% - 3% or higher.
High-silicon silicon iron or silicon-based alloys are used in the iron alloy industry as reducing agents for the production of low-carbon iron alloys. Adding silicon iron to cast iron can be used as a nucleating agent for ductile iron, and can prevent the formation of carbides, promote the precipitation and spheroidization of graphite, and improve the performance of cast iron.
In addition, silicon iron powder can be used as a suspension phase in the mineral processing industry, and as a coating for welding rods in the welding rod manufacturing industry; high-silicon silicon iron can be used in the electrical industry to prepare pure silicon for semiconductors, and in the chemical industry to manufacture silicone and other substances.
In the steelmaking industry, approximately 3 - 5 kg of 75% silicon iron is consumed for every ton of steel produced.
Melting point: 75FeSi is 1300℃
Silicon iron contains small amounts of metal compounds of phosphorus, such as calcium phosphide, etc. When exposed to moisture during transportation by vehicles or storage in warehouses, phosphine can be released, causing poisoning to people in the warehouse or surrounding areas. Severe phosphine poisoning can be fatal.