Ferrosilicon is an essential deoxidizer in the steelmaking industry. In steelmaking, ferrosilicon is used for precipitation deoxygenation and diffusion deoxygenation. Brick iron is also used as an alloying agent in steelmaking. Adding a certain amount of silicon to steel can significantly improve its strength, hardness, and elasticity, increase its magnetic permeability, and reduce the hysteresis loss of transformer steel- General steel contains 0.15% -0.35% silicon, structural steel contains 0.40% -1.75% silicon, tool steel contains 0.30% -1.80% silicon, spring steel contains 0.40% -2.80% silicon, stainless acid resistant steel contains 3.40% -4.00% silicon, heat-resistant steel contains 1.00% -3.00% silicon, silicon steel contains 2% -3% silicon or higher. In the steelmaking industry, approximately 3-5 kg of 75% ferrosilicon is consumed for each ton of steel produced.
High silicon ferrosilicon or siliceous alloys are used as reducing agents in the production of low-carbon ferroalloys in the ferroalloy industry. Adding silicon iron to cast iron can serve as an inoculant for ductile iron, and can prevent the formation of carbides, promote graphite precipitation and spheroidization, and improve the properties of cast iron.
In addition, ferrosilicon powder can be used as a suspended phase in the mineral processing industry, and as a coating for welding rods in the manufacturing industry. High silicon ferrosilicon can be used to prepare semiconductor pure silicon in the electrical industry, and can be used to manufacture silicone in the chemical industry.
