Launching - Silgrain® Pyro

Many pyrotechnical operations depend on high-sensitive delay charges in electric detonator systems. Depending on the final application, there is a need for different delay charges. Today the industry depends on heavy metal usage and thus needs to find other solutions imminently to reduce the environmental contamination.

Elkem has answered the challenge by launching a new product, Silgrain® Pyro, which is used as fuel in high-sensitive delay charges in electric detonator systems. For delay charges, the specific surface area of the Silicon powder is very important, and Elkem has strict surface area control in place for the Silgrain® Pyro products.

The particles in these products are very small, down to one-fifth of the thickness of a human hair, and are produced in large scale at the Elkem Bremanger plant located on the west coast of Norway. Elkem is also developing the next generation of Silgrain® Pyro products, where the surface area will be up to 10 times higher than for the products used today.

Development of Silgrain® Pyro has been done in close contact with the industry through a good combination of commercial and technical expertise from Elkem. The High Performance Materials team in Elkem Silicon Products is responsible for this business segment.