The Four Most Common Industrial Abrasives
Industry standards categorize the four mainstream abrasives into two groups: conventional abrasives and superhard abrasives.
1 Corundum (Aluminum Oxide, Al₂O₃)
Sub-types: Brown fused alumina, white fused alumina, single-crystal corundum, etc.
2 Silicon Carbide (SiC)
Sub-types: Black silicon carbide, green silicon carbide
3 Synthetic Diamond
4 Cubic Boron Nitride (CBN)
(Four Most Common Industrial Abrasives)
Quick Distinction
✅ Conventional Abrasives (Traditional Abrasive)
- ① Corundum
- ② Silicon Carbide
✅ Superhard Abrasives (Modern High-End)
- ③ Diamond
- ④ CBN (Cubic Boron Nitride)
Quick Application Guide
- Corundum: Rust removal on carbon/ordinary steel, weld grinding, general metal roughing.
- Silicon Carbide: Glass, ceramics, non-ferrous metals, light grinding of cemented carbide.
- Diamond: Stone, concrete, sintered stone slabs, glass, ceramics, cemented carbide (do not use on iron).
- CBN: Stainless steel, hardened steel, mold steel, various iron-based alloys.
Tip:
People often confuse terms in casual conversation;
remember the standard terminology: Corundum, Silicon Carbide, Diamond, and Cubic Boron Nitride are the four basic abrasives recognized in the industry.
(Green SiC Abrasive and Black SiC Abrasive)
Comparison Chart of Four Major Abrasive Materials
| Abrasive Type | Main Composition | Hardness Level | Core Advantages | Key Disadvantages | Preferred Materials for Processing | Prohibited / Not Recommended | Typical Tool Products |
| Synthetic Diamond | C (Carbon) | Highest Hardest material in nature |
harp cutting, extreme wear resistance, high processing efficiency; wide range of grit sizes | Reacts chemically with iron-group metals at high temperatures, leading to rapid failure via graphitization; relatively high price | Reacts chemically with iron-group metals at high temperatures, leading to rapid failure via graphitization; relatively high price | Carbon steel, stainless steel, mold steel, cast iron, and all iron-based alloys | Diamond saw blades, sintered grinding blocks, electroplated grinding wheels, core drill bits, resin polishing pads |
| CBN (Cubic Boron Nitride) | BN | Second only to diamond; far harder than ordinary abrasives | Does not react with ferrous metals; excellent heat resistance; resists dulling when grinding steel; minimizes risk of workpiece burn | Cannot process hard non-metallic materials; cost is higher than ordinary abrasives | Stainless steel, carbon steel, hardened mold steel, high-speed steel, bearing steel, and other ferrous steels | Stone, concrete, glass, ceramics | Electroplated CBN grinding discs, brazed CBN grinding wheels, tool grinding wheels |
| Silicon Carbide (SiC) | SiC |
High-grade ordinary abrasive Black SiC < Green SiC |
Good self-sharpening ability; moderate brittleness; moderate price; good thermal conductivity | Lower hardness than super-abrasives; high wear rate when processing very hard stone; not suitable for heavy-load grinding | Cemented carbide, glass, ceramics, rough grinding of stone, non-ferrous metals, non-metallic castings | High-hardness steel, high-strength granite (for long-run mass production) | Abrasive belts, resin grinding wheels, tumbling media, floor grinding pads |
| Corundum (Aluminum Oxide Al₂O₃)Brown / White Corundum | Al₂O₃ | General-purpose ordinary abrasive | Good toughness; impact resistance; low price; abundant supply; good chemical stability | Relatively low hardness; low efficiency when grinding hard stone; rapid consumption of abrasive material | Rust removal and weld grinding for ordinary carbon steel, low-alloy steel, and castings; processing of wood, leather, and light rust removal/polishing | High-hardness materials such as granite, concrete, and cemented carbide | Angle grinder grinding wheels, flap discs, sandpaper, abrasive cloth, sandblasting media |
Key Selection Mnemonic
- Processing stone, concrete, ceramics → Diamond is the priority.
- Processing various steels, stainless steel → CBN is the priority.
- Small-scale rust removal, weld grinding, low-cost metal roughing → Corundum.
- Low-cost, light grinding of glass, cemented carbide → Silicon Carbide.
Important Additional Notes
- Green silicon carbide has higher purity than black silicon carbide and is better suited for cemented carbide and fine polishing; black silicon carbide is mostly used for rough grinding of stone and non-metallic materials.
- White fused alumina has higher purity than brown fused alumina and is suitable for finishing hardened steel; brown fused alumina has high toughness and is suitable for rough grinding and rust removal.
- Superhard abrasives (Diamond, CBN) are suitable for high-precision, long-run mass production; corundum and silicon carbide are conventional abrasives, suitable for low-cost, short-duration, light-load applications.
(Brown corundum and white corundum are often used as abrasives for ordinary grinding wheels)