Effect of alloying elements on carbon solubility in liquid silicon equilibrated with silicon carbide

Carbon solubilities in liquid Si-X alloys (where X represents the alloying elements) that have been equilibrated with silicon carbide were determined in the temperature range between 1723 and 1873 K. The Si-X alloy was melted in a silicon carbide crucible under Ar-CO mixture gas flowing. After the equilibrium between the liquid silicon and silicon carbide was established, the carbon content and alloying element (X) content of the quenched sample were measured. The carbon solubility increased as B, Al, P and Ca contents increased in the liquid silicon, but decreased as Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni and Cu contents increased. The effect of the alloying elements on the carbon solubility was discussed thermodynamically.