Black silicon carbide (Carborundum) is a hard, angular abrasive used for wheel, slurry, refractory and ceramic industries. Silicon Carbide is special in the way it breaks down. As it breaks down into smaller particles, the media will expose new, sharp edges. Black silicon carbide can therefore be used many times, such as in a rock tumbler. Simply keep adding new coarser grit, and as the media breaks down, it will create a "working blend" of various sized particles. This allows for effective surface cleaning/polishing. SiC is harder than aluminum oxide, but a bit more friable than brown fused AO.
NEED 50 LBS INSTEAD? If you need 50lbs of any size, please order off this page.
Silicon Carbide is very hard coming in at a 9.1 on the Mohs scale. The only two common abrasive materials harder than SiC are diamonds and boron carbide. Due to its much lower cost than diamond or B4C, it is widely used for grinding nonferrous materials, finishing tough and hard materials, as well as filling up ceramic parts. It is therefore perfect for glass etching, rock tumbling, sandpaper, sandblasting, vitrified and resinoid grinding wheels, lapping, compounds, non-slip (anti-skid), wiresawing silicon & quartz, polishing, and tumbling. Please use our Quote Request Form for Wholesale Price Inquiries.
Minimum order for black silicon carbide is a 25lb box, online ordering. Repackaging/Processing lead times are currently around one week (usually ~3 business days), but will ship sooner if possible. Standard packaging is a 300lb drum, 4 drums/pallet, or a 2000 lb supersack. We highly suggest buying buckets at a hardware store and repacking into buckets in order to seal out humidity and moisture. The cost to ship pails far exceeds the cost of a bucket - ups charges high fees for every pail they have to manually process.
NEED 50 LBS INSTEAD? If you need 50lbs of any size, please order off this page.
Common Applications for Black Silicon Carbide Grit & Powders:
- Ceramic, metal lapping, and polishing applications
- SiC Sandpaper, grinding wheels, cut off tools, ceramic disc brakes
- Applications involving high wear, such as pumps and valves
- Slicing of silicon carbide wafers
- Rock and stone polishing and engraving
- Slicing, lapping, and polishing glass and germanium wafers
- Lapping of piston rings and gears
- Grinding of nonferrous materials
- Finishing tough and hard materials
- Bonded abrasive tool applications
- Glass etching and glass carving industries
- Rock tumbling industries - Lapidary use, vibratory machines
- Making concrete "sparkle" in the sunshine - We suggest a 16/36 blend, applied at 1/4 lb. / square foot
- Concrete additive: anti-slip grit to broadcast on concrete flooring, sidewalks, plazas, driveways. The 16/36 blend is perfect as a non slip broadcasting media. (**NOT recommended around children's play areas or swimming pools as it will cause abrasion-type injuries when children fall down). To make concrete sparkle, we suggest our 16/36 blend, applied at 1/4 lb. / square foot . This equals 25/lbs per 100 sq ft. However, you can always order a straight 16 grit for more anti skid, or tone it down to a straight 36 grit for less antislip grip. If you are unsure, go with the 16/36 blend.
Specifications of Silicon Carbide:
- Thermal Conductivity: High (100 W/m-K) approximately.
- High strength at elevated temperatures (at 1000°C, SiC is 7.5 times stronger than Al2O3).
- Black Silicon Carbide contains some free silicon (Si) and carbon (C) and is not as pure as Green SiC.
- Incompatabilities: None
- Gradation: Coarse grades meet both ANSI & FEPA; 220 and Finer grades are FEPA Graded, "P" shaped particles are also available. The entire ANSI and FEPA gradations are available. "P" shaped media cannot be ordered online, you will need to call or email us for pricing.
- Macro Grit Sizes: 8 grit - 240 grit (ANSI); P12 - P220 (FEPA). Micro Grit Sizes: F280 grit - F1200 grit (FEPA); P240 - P3000 (FEPA)
- Typical Packaging: 300lb Drums, 50lb bags, 25lb boxes
- Odor: Odorless
- Safety: Avoid breathing dust; wear protective gear
- Purity: 99% approximate
- Friability: Semi-Friable
- Pricing Based Per: Pound
- Structure: Monocrystalline
- NMF Classification: Class 55
- Fire & Explosion: Fines can cause explosion and smolder
- Keep away from all sources of ignition
- Color: Black
- Hardness: Knoop 2480 - 2550 / Mohs 9.1
- Instability: Stable
- Hazardous? Not listed as hazardous; see other cautions
- Disposal: According to Federal, State, Local regulations
- Grain Shape: Blocky, sharp edged OR we can also sell you "P" material, which is angular, with sharp edges. "P" shaped media cannot be ordered online, you will need to call or email us for pricing.
- Type: Granular or powdery depending on grade
- Specific Gravity: 3.2 (SiC)
- Bulk Density: ANSI B74.12-1988 normal bulk Density range is 1.45 - 1.55 (If you need a high density media, ask us. We can see if we have a lot number that meets your criteria.
- Manmade from silica sand and carbon
- Oxidation: SIC will not oxidize until it reaches a temperature of ~1200C. If it was placed in a harsh environment, such as an acid fog then it might oxidize earlier. You might see a slight color change when the material is wet vs dry.
Sizes Available:
- Macro Grit Sizes: 8 grit - 240 grit (ANSI); P12 - P220 (FEPA).
- Micro Grit Sizes: F280 grit - F1200 grit (FEPA); P240 - P3000 (FEPA)
- JIS Sizes upon request are available in finer sizes only.
- Split Sizes: 16/36 (anti skid broadcasting blend or for sparkle effect), 30/60 (often used in making saw blades), 46/70 (rock tumbling), 54/70 (rock tumbling), 60/90 (rock tumbling), 100/120, 120/220 (rock tumbling), 150/220 (rock tumbling), 180/240, 500/600 (rock tumbling). Split sizes include all grits in the middle as well. For example, a 120/220 means that it includes 120, 150, 180, and 220 sizes in the blend.
Minimum order for black silicon carbide is a 25lb box. Wholesale packaging = 300lb drums but can also be packaged in 50 lb paper bags.
Minimum order for black silicon carbide is a 25lb box. Orders will be shipped in 50 lb increments when possible. (Thus an order for 2, 25lb boxes will be shipped as a single 50 lb bag inside a box.) If you need 50lbs of any size, please order off this page.
Wholesale packaging = 300lb drums, or 2000 lb supersacks, or 50 lb bags.
Contact us for wholesale pricing on drum orders.