Silicon Carbide (SiC), also known as Carborundum, is a synthetic material composed of Silicon and Carbon, existing in approximately 250 crystalline forms. The most common is Alpha Silicon Carbide (α-SiC), which has a hexagonal crystal structure. Classified as a ceramic material, SiC is extremely hard and exhibits a range of remarkable properties that make it one of the most promising materials of the future. Thanks to its versatility, it is used both as a standalone material and as an additive in advanced composites such as: Carbon-ceramic matrices (C/C-SiC) for Formula 1 braking systems, aerospace and aeronautical applications, Wide Bandgap (WBG) semiconductors for high-power and high-frequency electronics, electric and hybrid vehicles, and high-performance braking systems.
In nature, Silicon Carbide occurs as the rare mineral Moissanite, found in certain types of meteorites, corundum deposits, and kimberlites. It was discovered in 1893 by the French chemist Ferdinand Henri Moissan (after whom it was named) in a fragment of a meteorite that fell approximately 50,000 years ago in Arizona’s “Canyon Diablo.” Although rare on Earth, SiC is relatively common in interstellar dust and certain meteorites, particularly in its Beta crystalline form (β-SiC).
Industrial-grade Silicon Carbide is almost entirely synthetic. In its purest form, SiC is colourless; however, two main commercial variants are available: Green Silicon Carbide, with a purity above 98.5%, produced from a mixture of quartz sand and petroleum coke in an electric resistance furnace, and Black Silicon Carbide, with purity levels up to 98%, obtained through the recycling of amorphous SiC generated during prior calcination stages.
Historically, Silicon Carbide was first used as an abrasive material. With a Mohs hardness of 9 and 9.5, it remains the hardest blasting media available. Its high purity and minimal magnetic properties make it ideal for surface preparation of hard materials such as stone and granite, for coating preparation, vibratory finishing, and deburring of hard components. Due to its exceptional hardness, it is also widely used in engraving and etching of materials such as stone, metal, glass, and granite.
Thanks to its outstanding physical and thermal properties - including excellent electrical and thermal conductivity, minimal thermal expansion, and high resistance to thermal shock - Silicon Carbide plays a crucial role in the metallurgical and foundry industries. It is used both as a refractory material for foundry furnace furniture, refractory bricks, and strengthening additives, as well as for improving molten metal mixtures, grinding harder alloys, and machining advanced ceramics and titanium-based components, such as titanium products, cast iron and ceramic materials for cutting tools.
In the electronics industry, Silicon Carbide is primarily used as a semiconductor due to its unique properties. SiC-based devices can operate at higher voltages, frequencies, and temperatures than traditional Silicon-based semiconductors, while dissipating less energy. This makes SiC semiconductors the material of choice for electric vehicles (EVs), where it is used for control braking, autopilot, electric battery power management and vehicle control. In addition, Silicon Carbide semiconductors are the reference option in the production of chips for robots and artificial intelligence (AI) applications. Due to its superior properties, Silicon Carbide is chosen to provide advanced technical solutions, improving the performance and efficiency of intelligent systems.
Silicon Carbide also finds applications in protective textiles used in bulletproof vests. In addition to ballistic resistance, protection against stabbing and cutting has become increasingly important. By combining microfilament-based fabrics with a functional SiC coating applied through a specialized matrix system, manufacturers have developed materials that offer both flexibility and protection. The SiC coating absorbs the energy from sharp impacts like a solid rock, while the para-aramid fibres beneath distribute and absorb the remaining energy.
The phenomenon of electroluminescence, which forms the basis of LED technology, was first observed in 1907 by the British engineer Henry Joseph Round using a Silicon Carbide crystal and a metal-semiconductor detector. Initially used to emit blue light in early LED applications, Silicon Carbide is now widely employed as a substrate material in modern LED production.
GritSablare is Romania’s leading supplier of abrasive materials, blasting equipment, and foundry and waterjet cutting products. Our Silicon Carbide is available in multiple grain sizes and purity levels (90%-98%), ideal for use as blasting media, refractory material, and in foundry applications. Other blasting materials offered include: Angular and spherical steel shot, Stainless steel grit and beads, Garnet, copper slag, aluminium silicate, and vegetable-based abrasives. For foundries, our portfolio includes sodium bentonite, graphite, and olivine. With long-term partnerships, immediate delivery from stock, and an optimal cost-to-performance ratio, GritSablare continues to set the standard in the industry.