Additional Uses of Moissanite

How Moissanite Is Changing the World Around Us

Because of the remarkable properties of Moissanite, its applications go far beyond jewelry. Below is a list of just a few ways in which it is changing the world as we know it:

Body Armor:

Pinnacle Armor, a California based company, manufactures military-grade body armor, known as "Dragon Skin", which is composed of discs of Moissanite (silicon carbide). Thanks to the design and extremely tough nature of the silicon plates, Dragon Skin body armor is known to withstand grenade blasts and up to 40 rounds of ammunition. It has been worn by civilian contractors in Iraq, special forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, SWAT teams, nine generals in Afghanistan and their bodyguards, the U.S. Secret Service, and the CIA.

Abrasive:

Moissanite (silicon carbide) is a popular abrasive in lapidary due to the durability. In manufacturing, it is used for its hardness in abrasive machining processes such as grinding, honing, water-jet cutting and sandblasting. Particles of silicon carbide are laminated to paper to create sandpapers and the grip tape on skateboards.

Automobile Parts in High-Performance Luxury Cars:

Silicon-infiltrated carbon-carbon composite is used for high performance "ceramic" brake discs as it is able to withstand extreme temperatures. The silicon carbide reacts with the graphite in the carbon-carbon composite to become carbon fiber reinforced silicon carbide (C/SiC). These discs are used on some road-going sports cars, including the Porsche Carrera GT, the Bugatti Veyron, the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, Bentleys, Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and some specific high-performance Audis.

LED Lightbulbs:

Silicon carbide is used in the creation of LED light bulbs. CREE Inc, the company that makes the gem grade raw Moissanite crystals for Charles & Colvard, is also one of the world leaders in LED light manufacturing and research and development.

Astronomy:

The Herschel Space Observatory telescope is a European Space Agency space observatory that was launched into orbit in 2009. It is the largest space telescope ever launched, carrying a single mirror of 3.5 meters (11.5 ft) in diameter, which is made of polycrystalline Moissanite. The high hardness, toughness and thermal conductivity of Moissanite make it an ideal mirror material for astronomical telescopes.

Electronics:

Moissanite is a semiconductor material, and its high thermal conductivity and resistance to high temperatures make it useful for electronic applications, such as high-power electronics, computer processors, and LEDs.

Space Exploration:

Moissanite has been used in space exploration as a material for windows in spacecraft due to its hardness and durability, which can withstand the harsh conditions of space.

Solar Panels:

Moissanite has been proposed as a material for solar panels, as its optical properties and high refractive index make it more efficient at trapping and reflecting light than other materials used in solar cells.

Nuclear Reactors:

Moissanite is also used as a coating material for nuclear fuel particles in high-temperature gas-cooled reactors. It helps to improve the fuel particle's resistance to corrosion and wear.