Silicothermic reaction

Silicothermic reactions are thermic chemical reactions using silicon as the reducing agent at high temperature (800-1400°C).

They were initially commercialized for the production of low-carbon ferromanganese before and during World War I(F. M. Becket played a significant role) and are still used today. They were also historically used for the production of low-carbon ferrochrome, but were displaced by electric methods.

The most prominent example is the Pidgeon process (developed commercially in Canada during the Second World War[1] by Lloyd Montgomery Pidgeon) for reducing magnesium metal from ores. Other processes include the Bolzano process and the magnetherm process. All three are commercially used for magnesium production.

See also

• Aluminothermic reaction
• Calciothermic reaction

References

1. Encyclopedia of materials, parts and finishes, 2nd edition, Mel M. Schwartz, 2002, p. 371, ISBN 1-56676-661-3