carborundum
Hard grinding compound
Carborundum is a trademark for silicon carbide, an extremely hard crystalline compound used as an abrasive and in cutting tools.
The material approaches diamond in hardness, making it useful for grinding wheels, sandpaper, and industrial polishing.
The name, coined in the 1890s, blends carbon with corundum (another hard mineral).
Though technically a brand name, carborundum is often used generically for any silicon carbide abrasive.
Molar action sometimes
- polishingSmoothing by friction
- lappingFine abrasive finishing process
- sandingFriction-smoothing a surface
- sharpeningMaking more cutting
grit · sandpaper · emery · buffing · wheel · coarse · fine · deburring
Fired clay material
- refractoryResistant to heat/control
- semiconductorPartial electrical conductor
- crystalOrdered-atom solid
- sinteredFused by heat, pressure
polycrystalline · monocrystalline · composite · high temperature · furnace · crucible · heating element · thermocouple
Measure of relative size
- scratchSuperficial wound or mark
- diamondCrystallized carbon gemstone
- sapphireBlue precious corundum
- quartzCrystalline silicon dioxide
topaz · garnet · tungsten carbide · durability · crystal structure · synthetic diamond · industrial diamond
grinding
Molar action sometimes
- polishingSmoothing by friction
- lappingFine abrasive finishing process
- sandingFriction-smoothing a surface
sharpening · grit · sandpaper · emery · buffing · wheel · coarse · fine · deburring · smoothing
ceramic
Fired clay material
- refractoryResistant to heat/control
- semiconductorPartial electrical conductor
- crystalOrdered-atom solid
sintered · polycrystalline · monocrystalline · composite · high temperature · furnace · crucible · heating element · thermocouple · nozzle
scale
Measure of relative size
quartz · topaz · garnet · tungsten carbide · durability · crystal structure · synthetic diamond · industrial diamond
electric furnace
Wired high-temperature chamber
- synthesisCombining parts into whole
- industrialOf factories and production
- AchesonMid-century American diplomat
patent · production · electrode · graphite · coke · silica · powder · grain · bonded · coated
carbon, carbonated, carbonation, carbonate, carbonyl, carbons, corundum, carboxyl, carbonaceous