Pace Technologies, SIC-600P12-50, 12" Premium SiC Paper with Adhesive Backing, PSA, 600 / P1200 Grit
Features:
SiC is a manufactured abrasive produced by a high-temperature reaction between silica and carbon. It has a hexagonal-rhombohedral crystal structure and a hardness of approximately 2500 HV. It is an ideal abrasive for cutting and grinding metallographic specimens because of its hardness and sharp edges. It is also somewhat brittle and cleaves easily to produce sharp edges (self-sharpening). SiC is an excellent abrasive for maximizing cutting rates while minimizing surface and subsurface damage. For metallographic preparation, SiC abrasives are used in abrasive blades. Bonded or coated abrasive papers of SiC are designed so that the abrasive will have many cutting points (negative abrasive rank angle). This is achieved by aligning the abrasive particles approximately normal to the backing. Note that coated abrasives are not quite coplanar, thus SiC papers produce the maximum efficiency (cut rate, stock removal, and minimal damage) because the abrasive is exposed as the old abrasive breaks down.
PSA-backed of adhesive backed papers are removal grinding papers. They are more expensive than the plain-backed papers and the foil papers. They are very easy to use and avoid the problems with "mooning" and MRD if the sample tracks over both the center and edge of the grinding papers.
