Silicon Carbide Grit & Powder
The main uses for abrasive grade Silicon Carbides (Carborundum) are:
- anti-slip abrasives
- sandblasting abrasives
- bonded abrasives
- coated abrasives
- polishing/lapping compounds
- tumbling media (including lapidary or rock tumbling uses)
- wire-sawing abrasives
- sintering
- filling up ceramic parts
- substrates for diodes
- heating elements in furnaces
Due to the very hard structure of silicon carbide (silicon + carbon) , it has historically been used as an abrasive. Today, there are many high tech uses for varying grades of Silicon Carbide such as electronics, brake pads, ceramics, LED’s, diodes, transistors, semiconductive research, heating elements, even jewelry. Gone are the days when Silicon Carbide was known only as an abrasive.
How Is It Made? Silicon carbide is manufactured by mixing silica sand (SiO2) and finely ground coke (carbon) together, then they are put into a brick lined electric furnace and baked at high temperature, while at the same time, an electric current is passed through a conductor. This process can take days from start to finish, with the end result being chunks of silicon carbide of varying purity. The aggregate is then sorted, crushed, and graded.
