Ferrosilicon, Siliconised Iron, Iron-Silicon Alloy, Silicon Alloyed Iron, 8049-17-0
FERROSILICON – FERROSILICON
1. CHEMICAL IDENTITY AND DEFINITION
| Parameter |
Information |
| Chemical Name |
Ferrosilicon |
| Other Names |
Siliconised Iron, Iron-Silicon Alloy, Silicon Alloyed Iron, FeSi, Ferro-Silicon |
| Alloy Type |
Iron-silicon alloy |
| Chemical Symbol |
FeSi |
| CAS Number |
8049-17-0 |
| Appearance |
Gray metallic solid (lumps / granules / powder) |
| Odor |
Odorless |
| Physical State (20°C) |
Solid (lumps, granules, or powder) |
| Alloy Class |
Ferroalloy |
2. WHAT IS FERROSILICON?
Ferrosilicon (FeSi) is a ferroalloy composed of iron and silicon. It typically contains 15-90% silicon and is one of the most widely used ferroalloys in industry. It is used for deoxidation (oxygen removal) in steel production, improves fluidity in casting operations, and serves as a reducing agent in magnesium production.
3. CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
| Element |
Symbol |
Percentage (%) |
CAS Number |
| Silicon |
Si |
15 – 90 |
7440-21-3 |
| Iron |
Fe |
Balance (~10-85%) |
7439-89-6 |
| Aluminum |
Al |
≤ 2.0 |
7429-90-5 |
| Calcium |
Ca |
≤ 0.5 |
7440-70-2 |
| Carbon |
C |
≤ 0.2 |
7440-44-0 |
| Sulfur |
S |
≤ 0.02 |
7704-34-9 |
| Phosphorus |
P |
≤ 0.05 |
7723-14-0 |
| Manganese |
Mn |
≤ 0.5 |
7439-96-5 |
4. PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
| Property |
Value |
| Appearance |
Gray metallic solid |
| Density |
~4.75 g/cm³ |
| Melting Point |
1,200 – 1,250 °C |
| Bulk Density (Lumps) |
~4.0 – 5.0 g/cm³ |
| Bulk Density (Powder) |
~3.0 – 4.0 g/cm³ |
| Hardness |
Hard and brittle |
| Color |
Gray to dark gray |
| Magnetic Properties |
Non-magnetic (high Si) |
5. CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
| Property |
Information |
| Chemical Composition |
FeSi (Iron + Silicon) |
| CAS Number |
8049-17-0 |
| Silicon Content |
15 – 90% (grade dependent) |
| Iron Content |
~10 – 85% |
| Impurities |
Al, Ca, C, S, P, Mn |
| Oxidation Resistance |
Good (forms SiO₂ layer on surface) |
| Acid Resistance |
Good |
| Reactivity |
Low; stable under normal conditions |
6. FERROSILICON GRADES
| Grade |
Si (%) |
Al (%) |
C (%) |
S (%) |
P (%) |
Application |
| FeSi15 |
14-16 |
≤2.0 |
≤0.2 |
≤0.02 |
≤0.05 |
Deoxidation |
| FeSi45 |
43-47 |
≤1.5 |
≤0.2 |
≤0.02 |
≤0.05 |
General steelmaking |
| FeSi65 |
63-68 |
≤1.5 |
≤0.2 |
≤0.02 |
≤0.05 |
High-quality steel |
| FeSi75 |
72-78 |
≤1.5 |
≤0.2 |
≤0.02 |
≤0.05 |
Electrical steel |
| FeSi90 |
87-92 |
≤1.0 |
≤0.2 |
≤0.02 |
≤0.05 |
Specialty applications |
7. PRODUCTION PROCESS
| Step |
Description |
| 1. Raw Material Preparation |
Iron chips, quartz (SiO₂), and coke preparation |
| 2. Arc Furnace Melting |
SiO₂ + Fe + C → FeSi + CO |
| 3. Casting |
Pouring liquid alloy into molds |
| 4. Cooling |
Controlled cooling |
| 5. Crushing |
Crushing to appropriate lump/granule size |
| 6. Sieving |
Size classification |
| 7. Packaging |
Packing in steel drums or big bags |
8. APPLICATIONS
8.1. Steel Production
| Application |
Description |
| Deoxidation |
Used as oxygen remover in steel production |
| Alloying |
Used to add silicon to steel |
| Quality Improvement |
Improves mechanical properties of steel |
| Grain Refinement |
Improves grain structure in steel |
| Hardness Increase |
Increases hardness values of steel |
8.2. Casting Industry
| Application |
Description |
| Fluidity Improvement |
Increases fluidity of cast iron |
| Shrinkage Reduction |
Reduces shrinkage during casting |
| Casting Quality |
Produces higher quality cast parts |
| Nodular Cast Iron |
Production of ductile iron (SG iron) |
8.3. Magnesium Production (Pidgeon Process)
| Application |
Description |
| Reducing Agent |
MgO + FeSi → Mg + SiO₂ + Fe |
| Magnesium Metal |
Used in magnesium metal production |
| Thermal Process |
High-temperature reduction reaction |
8.4. Electrical Industry
| Application |
Description |
| Electrical Steel |
Transformer and motor steel production |
| Magnetic Properties |
Silicon reduces electrical losses |
| Transformer Steels |
High-silicon electrical steels |
8.5. Welding and Metallurgy
| Application |
Description |
| Welding Electrodes |
Production of special welding electrodes |
| Other Ferroalloys |
Additive in ferroalloy production |
| Powder Metallurgy |
Powder metallurgy applications |
9. ADVANTAGES OF FERROSILICON
| Advantage |
Description |
| Deoxidation Properties |
Removes oxygen from molten metals, improving quality |
| Economic |
Cost-effective way to add silicon to alloys |
| Versatility |
Usable across multiple industries from metallurgy to electronics |
| Fluidity Increase |
Improves fluidity in casting operations |
| Shrinkage Reduction |
Reduces shrinkage in castings |
| Magnetic Properties |
Reduces magnetic losses in electrical steels |
| Corrosion Resistance |
Increases corrosion resistance of steel |
| Recyclability |
100% recyclable |
10. EFFECTS ON STEEL PROPERTIES
| Property |
Effect of Silicon |
| Deoxidation |
Strong oxygen remover |
| Tensile Strength |
Increases |
| Hardness |
Increases |
| Ductility |
Decreases (at high Si levels) |
| Magnetic Properties |
Improves |
| Corrosion Resistance |
Increases |
| Heat Resistance |
Increases |
| Electrical Resistance |
Increases |
| Grain Size |
Refines |
11. RECOMMENDED ADDITION RATES
| Steel Type |
Si Addition (%) |
FeSi Required (kg/ton) |
| Structural Steel |
0.15 – 0.30 |
3 – 6 |
| Spring Steel |
1.5 – 2.5 |
30 – 50 |
| Silicon Steel |
2.5 – 4.0 |
50 – 80 |
| Electrical Steel |
3.0 – 4.5 |
60 – 90 |
| Cast Iron |
1.0 – 3.0 |
20 – 60 |
12. PHYSICAL FORMS
| Form |
Description |
Typical Size |
| Lumps |
Irregular chunks |
10 – 100 mm |
| Granules |
Small particles |
1 – 10 mm |
| Powder |
Fine powder |
< 1 mm |
| Briquettes |
Compressed form |
Various |
| Custom Sizes |
Customer specification |
Various |
13. SAFETY AND HEALTH INFORMATION
| Parameter |
Information |
| Hazard |
Not hazardous in solid form |
| Dust |
Inhalation of dust may cause respiratory irritation |
| Fumes |
Melting fumes may contain silica (SiO₂) |
| Silicosis Risk |
Prolonged dust exposure may cause silicosis |
| Skin Contact |
May cause mechanical irritation |
| Eye Contact |
May cause mechanical irritation |
| Carcinogenicity |
Not classified as carcinogenic |
| Mutagenicity |
Not classified |
13.1. FIRST AID MEASURES
| Route of Exposure |
Action |
| Inhalation |
Remove to fresh air. If breathing difficulty, seek medical attention. |
| Skin Contact |
Wash with plenty of soap and water. Remove contaminated clothing. |
| Eye Contact |
Rinse thoroughly with water for at least 15 minutes. Seek medical attention. |
| Ingestion |
Rinse mouth. Seek medical attention. |
14. STORAGE AND HANDLING
| Parameter |
Information |
| Storage Conditions |
Cool, dry, well-ventilated area |
| Container Requirements |
Clean, dry container (steel drum or big bag) |
| Protect From |
Moisture, acids, strong oxidizing agents |
| Shelf Life |
Unlimited (with proper storage) |
| Handling Precautions |
Prevent dust formation; use respiratory protection |
| Special Warning |
Dust may cause respiratory irritation |
15. TRANSPORT INFORMATION
| Parameter |
Information |
| UN Number |
Not regulated (not a hazardous material) |
| Hazard Class |
Not applicable |
| Packing Group |
Not applicable |
| ADR/RID |
Not regulated |
| IMDG Code |
Not regulated |
| IATA (Air) |
Not regulated |
| Marine Pollutant |
No |
16. PACKAGING OPTIONS
| Packaging Type |
Quantity |
Material |
| Steel Drum |
100 – 250 kg |
Steel |
| Big Bag (FIBC) |
500 – 1,000 kg |
Polypropylene |
| Steel Box |
500 – 1,000 kg |
Steel |
| Plastic Lined Bag |
25 – 50 kg |
PP/PE |
| Custom Packaging |
Customer requirements |
Various |
17. REGULATORY STATUS
| Region / Authority |
Status |
| European Union (REACH) |
Registered substance |
| USA (EPA TSCA) |
Listed on TSCA inventory |
| China |
Listed on inventory |
| Japan (CSCL) |
Listed on CSCL inventory |
| ISO 9001 |
Certified production |
18. OTHER NAMES AND SYNONYMS
| Type |
Name |
| Turkish Names |
Ferro Silis, Silisyumlu Demir, Demir-Silikon Alaşımı, Silikon Alaşımlı Demir, Döküm Yardımcısı, Çelik Katkı Malzemesi |
| English Names |
Ferrosilicon, Iron-Silicon Alloy, Siliconised Iron, Ferro-Silicon |
| Chemical Names |
FeSi, Silicon Iron |
| Common Names |
Fluidity Enhancer, Silicon Alloy Metal, Corrosion-Resistant Alloy |
| CAS Number |
8049-17-0 |
19. SUMMARY AND CRITICAL WARNINGS
Product Summary
| Parameter |
Value |
| Product |
Ferrosilicon (FeSi) |
| CAS Number |
8049-17-0 |
| Silicon Content |
15 – 90% |
| Iron Content |
~10 – 85% |
| Appearance |
Gray metallic solid (lumps/granules/powder) |
| Density |
~4.75 g/cm³ |
| Melting Point |
1,200 – 1,250 °C |
| Primary Applications |
Steelmaking (deoxidation), casting, magnesium production |
CRITICAL WARNINGS
1. Silicon Content: Ferrosilicon contains 15-90% silicon. Select the correct grade based on application. High-silicon FeSi (>75%) is used for electrical steels, while low-silicon FeSi (15-45%) is used for deoxidation.
2. Deoxidation: One of the most effective oxygen removers in steelmaking. Essential for quality steel production.
3. Magnesium Production: Used as a reducing agent in the Pidgeon process. Reaction: MgO + FeSi → Mg + SiO₂ + Fe.
4. Electrical Steel: High-silicon FeSi (3-4% Si in steel) reduces magnetic losses in transformer and motor steels.
5. Casting Fluidity: Increases fluidity of cast iron and reduces shrinkage. Important additive in ductile iron production.
6. Silicosis Risk: Prolonged dust exposure may cause lung silicosis. Use respiratory protection in operations generating dust.
7. Storage: Store in dry, cool, well-ventilated area. Protect from moisture.
8. Recycling: 100% recyclable with high commercial value.
9. Quality Control: Verify chemical composition (Si, Al, C, S, P) for each batch. Impurities can affect steel quality.
10. Versatility: Wide application range from metallurgy to electronics, casting to magnesium production.
11. Addition Calculation: Silicon recovery is typically 90-95%. Consider this rate in alloy calculations.
12. Critical Raw Material: Silicon and ferrosilicon are considered critical raw materials in many industries. Supply chain considerations are important.
IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: This Technical Data Sheet (TDS) is for informational purposes only and is prepared based on available technical data. The user is responsible for determining the suitability of the product for their specific application and for complying with all local, national, and international regulations. For complete safety, storage, use, handling, disposal, and regulatory compliance information, refer to the official Safety Data Sheet (SDS/MSDS) provided by the manufacturer/supplier. This document is not a substitute for professional or medical advice.
