silicon carbide

noun

|Updated on: 1 Jun 2018

Definition of silicon carbide

: a very hard dark crystalline compound SiC of silicon and carbon that is used as an abrasive and as a refractory and in electric resistors

Recent Examples of silicon carbide from the Web

The awards will go to two projects aimed at speeding the development and licensing of a reactor fuel that features silicon carbide composite fuel cladding that contains uranium carbide fuel pellets.

— rob nikolewski, sandiegouniontribune.com, "General Atomics receives $3.2 million in federal funding for advanced nuclear energy work," 1 May 2018
Engineers at the University of California, Los Angeles, used a combination of ceramic silicon carbide nanoparticles and magnesium.

— jessica firger, Newsweek, "Scientists Create the Superman of Metals," 25 Dec. 2015

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'silicon carbide.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.