Carborundum | Synthetic Abrasive, Silicon Carbide, Refractory Material | Britannica (original) (raw)

chemical compound trademark

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Carborundum, trademark for silicon carbide, an inorganic compound discovered by E.G. Acheson; he received a patent on it in 1893. Carborundum has a crystal structure like that of diamond and is almost as hard. It is used as an abrasive for cutting, grinding, and polishing, as an antislip additive, and as a refractory.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Robert Curley.