What is Ferrosilicon?
Ferrosilicon is a type of ferroalloy composed primarily of iron and silicon. It is used in various industries, including steelmaking and casting. Ferrosilicon can contain varying amounts of silicon (typically ranging from 15% to 90%) depending on the production method. It is usually produced by reducing silica with carbon materials and iron in an electric arc furnace.
What are the types of ferrosilicon?
Ferrosilicon is often categorized according to the levels of various minor components, depending on the application requirements. These categories include:
Low-carbon ferrosilicon and ultra-low-carbon ferrosilicon – Used to avoid re-introducing carbon during the manufacture of stainless steel and electrical steel.
Low-titanium (high-purity) ferrosilicon – Used to avoid TiN and TiC inclusions in electrical steel and some special steels.
Low-aluminium ferrosilicon – Used to avoid the formation of hard Al2O3 and Al2O3–CaO inclusions in a range of steel types.
Special ferrosilicon – A general term that covers a range of tailor-made products containing other alloying elements.
