Research on separation based on filtering, density, and magnetism

Can a filter separate the silicon particles from the silicon carbide particles?

Tried: Coffee filter.  Everything went through.

Tried screen filter: nothing went through.

Olivia looked up particle sizes and found silicon  averaged 1 micron, and silicon carbide averaged 10 microns.  But the bigger silicon particles were bigger than the smaller silicon carbide particles.  So there was an overlap of  about 50% of the silicon with the silicon dioxide.  We migh get half of the silicon if we used a filter of 1 micron or less.

Conclusion: Filter will recover 50% of the silicon at best.

Can silicon and silicon carbide be separated by density?

Neshaya did a report on separating silicon and silicon carbide based on density.  She found that silicon was less dense than silicon carbide.  She also found that there were several liquids with densities between the two, including bromal, bromophorm, and sodium polytungstate.  There are a number of patents in patents.google.com that describe separating wire saw slurry based on densities of silicon and silicon carbide.  According to Dr. Linton, nobody is using these techniques, so we should see why not.

Can a magnet separate silicon particles from silicon carbide particles?

Searched Youtube for: "magnet repels conductors"

Found video on aluminum being attracted by magnets, and glass being repelled.

Found video on water being repelled by a magnet.  Repulsion was very small.  To eliminate friction, water was placed in a test tube inserted in styrofoam floating in a tub of water.

Found video on magnetic top floating above a sheet of copper.  Top only floated when it was spinning.  Top had six magnets alternating north and south poles.

Found a video on spinning magnets being used to sort aluminum at a recycling center.  Spinning magnets popped aluminum off of a conveyor carrying rubber, plastic, etc.  According to the video "Eddy Currents" produce the magnetic force that repels the aluminum.  The word for this week is, you guessed it, "Eddy".

Built a spinning magnetic top using a car polisher, tape, and magnets.  Placed it under a plastic tray with tin foil in it but it didn't really work.

Tried again with a square of piece of aluminum, and the aluminum spun.

Tried it on aluminum floating on styrofoam in water, and it worked.

Checked with saran wrap between the magnets and the aluminum to make sure the air wasn't spinning the aluminum.  Still worked.

Tried with the aluminum removed to make sure the magnets weren't spinning the styrofoam or the water.  Nothing spun.

Conclusion: Spinning magnets can make a sheet of aluminum spin.

Questions: Does it work with silicon?  Does it work with silicon powder?  Does it not work with silicon carbide?

If it works with silicon and not silicon carbide, could it be used to separate the two?  If so, how?