Brown corundum is a high-performance abrasive material made by melting bauxite, coke and iron in an electric arc furnace. This melting process produces aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃), a material of exceptional hardness and strength. The resulting product is then crushed and screened into different grades, making it suitable for a variety of industrial applications.
With a Mohs hardness of 9, brown corundum is one of the hardest materials available, second only to diamond. This extraordinary hardness, combined with its sharp edge and excellent thermal stability, makes it ideal for many abrasive, coating and refractory applications.
Uses of Brown Corundum:
1. Abrasive Applications:
Brown corundum is widely used as an abrasive in a variety of industries. Its hardness and sharpness make it an ideal material for grinding, polishing and sandblasting applications.
Grinding and Polishing: BFA is used in the production of grinding wheels, sandpaper and abrasive discs. Its sharp particles help to grind rough surfaces, remove burrs and polish materials such as metals, ceramics, glass and stone. These applications are common in industries such as manufacturing, automotive, and construction.
Sandblasting and Abrasive Blasting: Brown corundum is frequently used in abrasive blasting operations to clean, etch, or prepare surfaces. Its angular particles make it effective in removing rust, corrosion, paint, and other contaminants from metal surfaces, concrete, and stone. Sandblasting is essential for surface preparation prior to coating or painting, as well as etching and texturing materials.
Surface Treatment: In metalworking, brown corundum is used in surface treatment processes such as deburring, cleaning, and polishing. Its ability to provide a fine finish makes it ideal for precision applications such as sharpening knives or smoothing the surface of intricate metal parts.
2. Coatings: Brown corundum is also used to produce abrasive coatings, which are applied to surfaces to enhance their durability, wear resistance, and overall performance.
Anti-slip Coatings: BFA is often used to create anti-slip surfaces, such as those on walkways, stair treads, and runways. Its sharp particles provide excellent traction to prevent slips, making it a key material in safety applications.
Anti-wear coatings: In industries where mechanical equipment faces severe wear, brown corundum is used in anti-wear coatings to extend the life of parts and improve their durability in harsh conditions. It can be used to protect tools, machinery and equipment exposed to friction and high stress.
Decorative coatings: Brown corundum is also used in decorative coatings for materials such as concrete, stone and metal. It helps create textured finishes and adds beauty to a variety of products and surfaces.
3. Refractory materials:
One of the areas where brown corundum excels is in the production of refractory materials. These materials are used to line furnaces, kilns and reactors as they are able to withstand high temperatures without damage.
Furnace linings: Brown corundum is able to withstand extreme temperatures (up to 2000°C) and is therefore used in the production of refractory bricks and linings for furnaces, kilns and other high-temperature equipment. This makes it an important material in industries such as steelmaking, glassmaking and ceramic production.
Casting applications: Brown corundum is used in foundries as a component of core sand, mold coatings and other cast products. Its resistance to thermal shock and ability to maintain structural integrity at high temperatures make it ideal for these applications.
Heat shields and insulation materials: In addition to furnace linings, brown corundum is also used for heat shields and insulation materials that need to withstand high temperatures and maintain excellent performance for a long time.
4. Water jet cutting:
Brown corundum is also used in water jet cutting operations, in which brown corundum is mixed with high-pressure water to cut a variety of materials, including metals, stones, glass and composites. The hardness of brown corundum makes it an ideal material for precision cutting, allowing for clean and accurate cuts with minimal waste.
