Silicon carbide, an inorganic substance with the chemical formula of SiC, is made from quartz sand, petroleum coke (or coal coke), sawdust (salt needs to be added in the production of green silicon carbide) and other raw materials through high-temperature smelting in a resistance furnace. Silicon carbide also exists in nature as a rare mineral, morsonite. Among C, N, B and other non oxide high-tech refractory raw materials, silicon carbide is the most widely used and economical one, which can be called steel sand or refractory sand. Silicon carbide produced by Chinese industry is divided into black silicon carbide and green silicon carbide, both of which are hexagonal crystals, with a specific gravity of 3.20 ~ 3.25 and a microhardness of 2840 ~ 3320kg / mm2.

Silicon carbide is made from the mix ture of pure silica sand and green petroleum coke in ultra high power acheson furnace. Electric current is passe d through the conductor, bringing about a chemical reaction in which the carbon in the coke and silicon in the sand combined to form SIC and carbon monoxide gas. Silicon carbide is widely used in abrasives, metallurgy and refractory industries.