silicon carbide

noun

, Chemistry.

1. a very hard, insoluble, crystalline compound, SiC, used as an abrasive and as an electrical resistor in objects exposed to high temperatures.

silicon carbide

noun

1. an extremely hard bluish-black insoluble crystalline substance produced by heating carbon with sand at a high temperature and used as an abrasive and refractory material. Silicon carbide whiskers have a high tensile strength and are used in composites; very pure crystals are used as semiconductors. Formula: SiC

Word History and Origins

Origin of silicon carbide¹

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

Wolfspeed CEO Gregg Lowe said the potential for government support has been “very important” as the company has sought to produce more silicon carbide, a material that increases the efficiency of computer chips.

From Seattle Times

The first steps for making this particular semiconductor, known as a silicon carbide chip, happen in a factory in New Hampshire.

From Seattle Times

"We then vapor-deposited indium atoms, which are immersed between the protective graphene layer and the silicon carbide substrate. This is how the protective layer for our two-dimensional quantum material indenene was formed."

From Science Daily

De Heer achieved a breakthrough when he and his team figured out how to grow graphene on silicon carbide wafers using special furnaces.

From Science Daily

To maximize the high thermal conductivity of diamond, the researchers integrated a 3C-SiC layer, a cubic polytype of silicon carbide, between GaN and diamond.

From Science Daily