Development of an Integrated Analytical Method for Silicon Carbide Purity Evaluation Using X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), and Elemental Analysis (EA)

An integrated calculation combining X-ray fluorescence (XRF), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and elemental analysis (EA) was applied to the compositional assessment of commercial green silicon carbide (SiC) and biomass-derived synthesized SiC. Total carbon measured by EA and the mass loss assigned to free carbon by TGA were combined through the stoichiometric carbon fraction of SiC. The XRF inorganic elemental profile and the TGA mass gain, expressed as a free-Si equivalent, were used for a complementary component-balance calculation. Carbon-based SiC estimates were 99.1 and 99.4 wt.% for the commercial and synthesized materials, respectively, compared with KS L 1612 values of 99.7 and 98.6 wt.%. With hydrogen and nitrogen included and zero initial silica assumed, the component totals were 100.6 and 101.2 wt.%. The integrated approach couples carbon-based estimation with a balance check that exposes inconsistencies between thermal assignments and compositional inputs. This two-material application demonstrates the calculation and component-balance check under the stated assumptions; method precision and trueness require independent experimental validation.