Black silicon carbide is generally used for the abrasive 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. Therefore, black silicon carbide can be best used over and over, 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.
Silicon Carbide (Carborundum) is very hard. 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 rock tumbling, sandpaper, sandblasting, vitrified and resinoid grinding wheels, lapping, compounds, non-slip (anti-skid), wiresawing silicon & quartz, polishing, and tumbling. Silicon Carbide is generally sold in large drums. Please use our Quote Request Form for Wholesale Price Inquiries.
Minimum order for black silicon carbide is a 25lb box, online ordering. If you only need 25lbs, use this page to order. 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.
SPECIAL NOTE ON 49 LB BOXES!!! Due to UPS charging huge fees for boxes weighing over 50 lbs, we are forced to short each box a pound or two. This is why we are now calling our 50lb boxes "49 lb boxes". This is the best solution we could come up with in order to get you the cheapest shipping rate possible. If you only need 25lbs, use this page to order
Common Applications for Black Silicon Carbide Grit & Powders:
- Ceramic, metal lapping, and polishing applications
- Abrasive Flow Machining
- SiC Sandpaper, grinding wheels, cut off tools
- Slicing of silicon carbide wafers
- Rock and stone polishing and engraving
- Extrude Honing, Cleaning (such as cleaning gas turbine engine ports)
- AFM: Abrasive Flow Machining (finishing technologies, fine flow tuning surfaces, edge blending)
- Slicing, lapping, polishing glass and germanium wafers
- Die Extrusion
- Bottle Glass Etching, Glass Carving, Glass Polshing
- 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
- 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 (not if) children fall down). You may also use it to make concrete sparkle, applied at 1/4 lb. / square foot). For more anti slip feature, use a straight 16 grit rather than the blend of 16/36.
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. To make concrete sparkle, we suggest our 16/36 blend, applied at 1/4 lb. / square foot), 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 49 lb increments when possible. (Thus an order for 2, 25lb boxes will be shipped as a single 49 lb bag inside a box.)
Wholesale packaging = 300lb drums, or 2000 lb supersacks, or 50 lb bags, 40/pallet.
Contact us for wholesale pricing on drum orders.
