Abrasives are materials used for grinding, polishing, or smoothing surfaces by wearing away the unwanted material through friction. They are commonly used in manufacturing, construction, and maintenance industries. Abrasives can be natural or synthetic materials, and they come in various forms, including powders, pastes, and solid blocks. The most common natural abrasives are sand, emery, and pumice. Sand is used for sandblasting and smoothing rough surfaces, while emery is used for polishing and sharpening tools. Pumice is a lightweight, porous volcanic rock used for cleaning and polishing. Synthetic abrasives, on the other hand, are made from materials such as aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, and diamond. Aluminum oxide is the most commonly used abrasive due to its versatility and low cost. Silicon carbide is harder and more brittle than aluminum oxide, making it ideal for grinding hard materials such as ceramics and glass. Diamond, the hardest material known to man, is used for cutting and polishing. The choice of abrasive depends on the material being worked on, the desired finish, and the equipment being used. Abrasives can be applied manually or with the help of machines such as grinders, sanders, and polishers. They are also used in the production of various products such as electronics, automobiles, and medical devices.
materials, grinding, polishing, friction, natural, synthetic, sand, emery, pumice, aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, diamond, equipment, production
CITATION : "Matthew Johnson. 'Abrasives.' Design+Encyclopedia. https://design-encyclopedia.com/?E=261422 (Accessed on July 08, 2025)"
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