Can't seem to find anything other than adding ferrosilicon to an iron melt (which I do normally). Curious what the problems might be with adding pure silicon, if there is one. There must be one, otherwise why ferrosilicon? Anyway I do have some of the pure elemental silicon (99.0+ purity) Melting point is 1414C, and obviously lighter -- lower specific gravity, so will float on the melt -- is that the main problem? Although ferrosilicon also floats. Search results just repeat that ferrosilicon is used. Yup, I know that. What happens if you try pure silicon in an iron melt. Anybody know, or better yet, have experience trying it? Thanks!
I'd imagine the silicon would dissolve into the iron but take time, my understanding of ferrosilicon is that it's added after skimming and just before pouring as the grain refining effect lasts minutes. MY nearest foundry was an hour's drive away but they sold me some ferrosilicon. I had to bring my own container too.
Yup, thanks, I use ferrosilicon. I'm interested in personal experience anyone has, or an authoritative source description of what the problems would be with innoculating an iron melt with pure silicon.
Google this and you'll get all the info you need. "inoculate cast iron with pure silicon" Evidently it's the other stuff in ferrosilicon that enables the silicon to effectively disperse and to work effectively. Pete
Yes, I was going to say the same as Petee716. I have both FeSi and Pure Silicon. But, I'm saving the pure Silicon for Bronze.
I have been able to get pure silicon to dissolve in aluminum (way cooler than Iron) so i think you shouldn't have any issues with it iron. It just takes a minute to dissolve.
Thank you Pete but I did a search for that phrase and found very little. Again mostly meaning ferrosilicon when silicon was discussed. I did find one mention that fade time was short with silicon saying the best effect occurred near the inoculant site. Though in how large a melt -- tons? Would it be the same location fade problem for an A6 about to pour? Okay, other elements help (can't be the iron (ferro) since there's plenty of that in a melt) -- I'm sure there are plenty of other elements in a scrap iron melt, so my main questions still are -- does it work or not on a practical level, if so, how much is a reasonable addition, are there any issues or health dangers in adding pure silicon vs ferrosilicon in a home foundry, and has anyone actually tried pure silicon on the small scale we generally work from?
That's interesting -- though my interest here was for an iron melt. I've read elsewhere in home melting Al that silicon did not combine easily. Can you give more details of what you did and how it happened? Thanks!
Possible, I do have both and purchased the ferrosilicon a long enough time ago that I don't remember the price. The pure silicon, did not seem inordinately expensive though for a half kilo, and presumably even less should be needed than ferrosilicon. It does seem easier to find in smaller qualtities, and the price per melt might be the same or less ------ if it is usable for that.
the Silicon i had was in small chips so I think the increased surface area helped. I also had no way to tell what temp I was at (but I'm fairly certain that the aluminum was getting way too hot. based on surface finish) I also let it sit in the melt for 30 mins or more. Not really the best for the aluminum. funny thing is that those few batches i did that way flowed super nice and I didn't have any issues with gas inclusions or the porosity that I hear other talk about. I know I super abused that molten ally! so not sure why it came out so well.
