Reclamation of Abrasive Slurry to Obtain SiC Ceramic Material

In the period of silicon and silicon carbide wafer slicing process, the abrasive oil, silicon carbide (SiC), silicon and trace elements e.g., iron, zinc, copper, and nickel is generated as an oily mixture of insoluble matter. The SiC is the main component (>70%) in the abrasive slurry and the extraction of SiC from the slurry can eliminate the risk of illegal waste disposal and reduce the cost for the enterprises. In this study, a chemical separation process is applied to remove silicon particles and SiC can be extracted from the slurry mixtures. The X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that recycled material is moissanite with two crystalline polymorphs. The 3C and 6H X-ray powder pattern is observed and the cubic and hexagonal crystalline structure is revealed. The particle size distribution analysis showed that median value of purified SiC powder material is 9.8 μm.