Nitrides, hydrides and silicides from China

4% duty with named suspensions

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 27 September 2026, heading 2850 covers hydrides, nitrides, azides, silicides and borides, whether or not chemically defined, other than compounds that are also carbides. All 11 lines carried 4% on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure.

Suspensions to 31 December 2028 take six lines to 0%: silane, germanium tetrahydride, disilane, cubic boron nitride, arsine of 99.999% purity for semiconductor production, and sodium azide. On the residual hydride and nitride line the suspension covers only lithium aluminium hydride in tetrahydrofuran or 2-methyltetrahydrofuran solution and titanium nitride of 250 nm or finer, so hexagonal boron nitride, silicon nitride and aluminium nitride powders pay 4%. Other azides, calcium silicon for steelmaking, other silicides and borides also pay 4%.

Silicon carbide and tungsten carbide are heading 2849 (see our carbide guide), and finished nitride ceramic parts and grinding wheels are classified by their form; confirm the commodity code.

REACH, CLP and dangerous goods

A Great Britain importer of one tonne or more a year of a substance must register it under UK REACH, retained Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006, or rely on an only representative, and every shipment needs a safety data sheet; GB CLP, retained Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008, sets the labels.

Several products in this heading are dangerous goods: silane is a pyrophoric flammable gas (UN 2203), sodium azide is acutely toxic (UN 1687), and metal hydrides react with water. The Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2009 apply to road carriage in Great Britain, so agree packaging, cylinders and declarations before booking.

Specifying nitride and silicide powders

Specify the compound and crystal form, purity and impurity limits (oxygen, carbon, free silicon or boron, metals), particle size distribution and specific surface area, for cubic boron nitride the grit size and toughness, packing (sealed under inert gas where needed), and a certificate of analysis per lot.

Worked duty example

Suppose, purely for illustration, you import 2 tonnes of hexagonal boron nitride powder under 2850 00 20 90. At £50,000 free on board and £2,000 to ship and insure, the customs value is £52,000. Boron nitride powder at 4% pay £2,080 of duty; VAT is then worked out on value plus duty, £54,080, giving £10,816. Of the £12,896 paid at import, only the £2,080 of duty stays a cost for a VAT-registered business. The method is set out in how UK import duty and VAT work.

Inspection checklist

Documents: check the certificate of analysis, the safety data sheet in English and the UK REACH route against the order.

Laboratory: test an independent sample for purity, oxygen content, phase (for example hexagonal against cubic boron nitride) and particle size.

Packing: check containers are sealed, labelled with GB CLP pictograms and UN numbers where needed, and approved for the dangerous goods class.

What goes wrong

Nitride and hydride orders fail on purity, oxidation and handling. Oxygen content rises in poorly sealed packs, particle size drifts from the sample, a lower-purity grade is supplied, and reactive or toxic products are shipped without the right packaging and declarations.

Agree limits and packing in writing, test independently, and settle transport classification before shipment. See our quality inspection guide.

Cambridge China Bridge sources nitride and silicide powders for UK ceramics, abrasives and electronics makers, checking the producer's laboratory and packing first. See factory verification.