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Carborundum
chemical compound trademark
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Carborundum, trademark for silicon carbide, an inorganic compound discovered by E.G. Acheson; he received a patent on it in 1893. Carborundum has a crystal structure like that of diamond and is almost as hard. It is used as an abrasive for cutting, grinding, and polishing, as an antislip additive, and as a refractory.