Uses of Silicon

Silicon is a periodic element that is classified as a metalloid. It occurs naturally on earth and is found in large amounts in the earth's crust. Silicon has a variety of uses because it bonds easily with other elements, is an electrical semiconductor, and does not conduct temperature. Also, silicon's many derivatives, including silicone and silica, are widely used as a base for a range of manufacturing products.

Electronic Equipment

The production of electronic equipment is one of the most common uses for elemental silicon. Thin silicon wafers are used as the base for photovoltaic sheets, like solar panels. Silicon also provides the structural foundation for computer chips and other aspects of electrical circuits, such as semiconductors, microprocessors, and transistors. Hydrogenated amorphous silicon, an alloy of silicon, is generated in thin strips to become part of LCD television and computer screens.

Construction Materials

Silicon is also widely used in the construction materials. Silica, also known as silicon dioxide, is an essential element in the creation of clay, concrete, brick, sand, and cement. It has a shiny, glittery appearance similar to mica. Silica is also used to make car windshields by fusing a thin piece of glass between two pieces of thick, clear silicon dioxide.

Automotive Parts

Silicon is an essential part of the automotive casting industry. Aluminum silicon alloy is added to liquid iron before it is cast in the shape of a car part to strengthen the resulting shape. The addition of silicon into iron casts also reduces the possibility of iron carbide, a weak and brittle formation of iron that can compromise the integrity of the cast parts.

Silicone Uses

Silicone is a polymer mixture of silicon, oxygen, and carbon that is used in a variety of applications due to its flexibility, malleability, and waterproof qualities. These properties make silicone a versatile material that is used to make, wax, grease, caulk, and certain explosives that require putty packing. Cosmetic surgery also employs silicone to make several different types of implants, including breast implants, buttocks implants, and calf implants, because its supple yet formed shape looks natural under skin.

Toy Products

Certain mixtures of silicon that include small amounts of boric acid have the unique ability to be manipulated and bend into different shapes before returning to its original cast shape, making it a popular ingredient in many toy products. Toys such as Silly Putty, Gumby dolls, and Gak are made with silicon, and bouncing balls and stress balls also include large quantities of silicon. Figurines like My Little Ponies that have slightly pliable surfaces are also formed with silicon.

Resources

• Silicon Examined at Chemical Elements.com
• Silicon Uses