Application Fields of Open-Cell Silicon Carbide Foam (Porous SiC Foam)

Basic Material Introduction

Open-cell silicon carbide foam is sintered from SiC powder with a 3D interconnected open-pore structure, commonly available in 10–80 PPI specifications.

Core Properties: High temperature resistance (stable long-term service above 1200 °C in air), oxidation resistance, moderate thermal conductivity, high mechanical strength, strong corrosion resistance, large specific surface area, and far superior rigidity compared to carbon foam.

High-Temperature Catalysis Industry

① Exhaust substrates for motor vehicles & construction machinery (DPF, SCR substrates)

Diesel particulate filters and denitrification catalytic carriers. Compared with cordierite substrates, it delivers superior thermal shock resistance and is widely applied in heavy commercial vehicles and off-road construction machinery.

② Monolithic catalyst carriers for industrial waste gas treatment

For high-temperature VOC catalytic combustion, industrial flue gas denitrification and incinerator exhaust purification.

Merits: Tolerates temperatures above 1000 °C, resists sulfur poisoning and features excellent thermal stability, suitable for working conditions with drastic temperature fluctuations.

③ Reforming catalyst carriers for hydrogen production (methane steam reforming, methanol cracking hydrogen generation)

Compatible with high-temperature reforming reactors and maintains stability under long-term reducing atmospheres.

Hydrogen Energy & Energy Equipment

① Flameless venting and explosion suppression substrates for combustible gases

Core advantages: No oxidation, combustion or melting at high temperatures in ambient air, plus high structural strength.

Comparison with carbon foam: Carbon foam gradually oxidizes and degrades under high-temperature oxygen-containing environments; aluminum foam rapidly oxidizes and fails above 500 °C. Open-cell SiC foam is ideal for long-service flame arrestors and flameless venting devices operating under aerobic conditions.

② High-temperature hydrogen filtration and impurity capture; gas-liquid separation components for reforming systems.

③ Supporting frames and flow channel substrates for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC).

Molten Metal Filtration

① Molten filter plates for aluminum, aluminum alloy and copper alloy casting

Removes oxide inclusions and slag particles from molten metal to improve casting quality; standardized consumables in the casting industry.

② Continuous filtration units for non-ferrous metal smelting.

Thermal Management & High-Temperature Heat Exchange

① Composite skeletons for high-temperature phase-change energy storage

Matched with molten salts and high-temperature phase-change materials for concentrated solar power stations and industrial waste heat storage; maintains structural integrity without failure at extreme temperatures.

② Substrates for high-temperature gas heat exchangers, radiant heat transfer components and temperature equalizing parts for industrial kilns.

Note: It features moderate thermal conductivity and is not used for high-heat-flux heat sinks in supercomputers; its primary application lies in medium-to-high temperature heat exchange scenarios.

Aerospace & National Defense Industry

① Tooling for high-temperature aerodynamic tests and porous flow straightening components for wind tunnels;

② Core materials for high-temperature thermal insulation sandwich structures and porous substrates for infrared radiation regulation;

③ High-temperature resistant composite substrates for wave absorption (porous matrix impregnated with radar absorbing coatings).

Environmental Fluid Treatment

① Filtration of highly corrosive liquids (acid/alkaline solutions, electroplating wastewater);

② Supporting frames for membrane separation and photocatalytic water treatment carriers (loaded with TiO₂ photocatalysts).

Special High-Temperature Kiln Industry

① Load-bearing supports for ceramic sintering and powder metallurgy furnaces, replacement ceramic firing shelves;

② Porous flow equalizing plates for gas distribution in high-temperature atmosphere furnaces.

Cross-Material Key Comparison: Open-Cell SiC Foam / Carbon Foam / Open-Cell Aluminum Foam