Washington Mills manufactures silicon carbide crude, macrogrits, microgrits, powders and sub-micron materials. Silicon carbide is a man-made material manufactured through heating silica sand and carbon to high temperatures in the Acheson furnace technique. Silicon carbide is an extremely hard material (Mohs hardness 9.25), is chemically inert and does not melt. Silicon Carbide has a high thermal conductivity, a low coefficient of thermal expansion, is thermal shock and abrasion resistant and has strength at high temperatures. Silicon carbide’s varied properties make it an effective material in many different applications.
Washington Mills manufactures its silicon carbide grits and powders to suit many industries and applications including: wire sawing silicon wafers, ceramic body armor, ceramic wear parts, semiconductor materials, power switching, high temperature heating elements, refractories, sandpaper, grinding wheels, gem polishing, advanced ceramics, diesel particulate filters, thermal sprays, aerospace applications, lapping, iron and steel and many others. Our silicon carbide grains and powders can be made to your exact size, chemistry and shape specifications. Please see below for information about some of our silicon carbide materials.
Our high quality F 500 PV, F 600 PV and F 800 PV micro grits are manufactured to a specific grain shape which makes them effective in the wire sawing of silicon wafers for the photovoltaic industry. The grits are carefully classified with our unique process technology to meet the particle size distribution required for efficient wire sawing. In addition to chemical analyses and particle size, these grits are carefully manufactured according to strict specifications for their circularity and abrasive efficiency which are critical parameters for these applications.
Carborex BW Micro is used primarily for wiresawing applications where sharp, closely graded grits are desired.
Carborex C-5Carborex C-5 is a green, high purity, friable, medium density silicon carbide. It is most commonly used for grinding hard, brittle materials such as cemented carbides where fast, cool cutting is desirable. It is also available with a silane treated surface treatment
Carborex C-5 is used in bonded abrasive products and vitrified bonded grinding wheels. It is also used in many refractory and ceramic applications including ceramic armor, kiln furniture, composites, and aerospace applications.
Carborex Green is a high purity, semi-friable, medium density, virgin green silicon carbide.
Carborex Green is used primarily for pressure blasting, lapping, grinding, and polishing where a higher purity silicon carbide abrasive is desired.
Carborex C-6 is a black, semi-friable, medium density, silicon carbide abrasive.
Carborex C-6 is used in both organic and vitrified grinding wheels for grinding hard or brittle materials such as cast iron, ceramics, and glass. It is also used for grinding low tensile strength, ductile, non-ferrous metals and is available with a silane surface treatment.
Carborex No. 1 RF is a high purity refractory grain, manufactured from carefully selected quartz and coke, and is electrically furnaced under controlled conditions for desired purity and crystalline structure.
Carborex No. 1 RF is used in the production of bonded refractory products requiring high thermal conductivity, chemical stability, hot strength, and thermal shock and abrasion resistant properties. Other uses include refractory cement, loose refractory grain, and electric heating elements.
Sharp, angular, low density, black silicon carbide abrasives. The product’s chemical and physical properties allow for implementation in electrostatic and gravity fed applications.
These grains are used in the manufacture of silicon carbide coated abrasives for high speed, high tensile strength, and heavy duty automated applications in the metals industry. They are also used on paper, fiber, or cloth backing and with a glue or resin adhesive.
Carborex RA is a black, semi-friable, medium density, virgin silicon carbide abrasive.
Carborex RA is used primarily for gear lapping, flat lapping of metals and ceramics, glass grinding, and granite polishing.
Carborex Type “P is a silicon carbide collected from the dust collector system connected to the crushing and grading units for our first quality silicon carbide. The material is carefully segregated to eliminate contaminants. The silicon carbide content of the material may vary.
Carborex Type “P” is used in general refractory applications.
Carborex WSC is a group-graded, black, semi-friable, medium density, virgin silicon carbide abrasive.
Carborex WSC is used primarily for wiresawing, in the granite, marble and building stone industry. It can also be used for pressure blasting, tumbling, non-skid, and other industrial applications where a group-graded silicon carbide product is required and/or desired.