Aluminum Oxide - Blasting Media
Sharp, durable abrasives for surface preparation, cleaning, and anchor pattern creation
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Product Overview
Aluminum oxide blasting media delivers fast-cutting performance for surface preparation, cleaning, and anchor pattern creation on metal surfaces. Its sharp, angular grains are silica-free and can be reused economically in closed-system blasting operations.
With high hardness and angular grain structure, aluminum oxide abrasives produce consistent matte finishes and reliable anchor patterns for coating adhesion. The material's chemical stability and heat resistance ensure predictable results across demanding industrial applications.
White Abrasives offers three blasting media options - each optimized for specific materials and surface preparation requirements.
Choose Your Blasting Media
Aluminum Oxide - Brown
Best for: General metalworking and ferrous metals
Hardness: 9.0 Mohs
Color: Dark Brown
Key Advantage: Tough and tenacious - resists fracturing under pressure
Electrically fused from bauxite, coal, and iron borings. High toughness makes it well suited for grinding and blasting hardened steel, malleable iron, cast iron, and general ferrous alloys. Produces reliable matte finish and anchor patterns on metal surfaces.
Best Applications:
Aluminum Oxide - White
Best for: High carbon steel, alloy steel, and high speed steel
Hardness: ~9.0 Mohs (higher purity, more friable than brown aluminum oxide)
Color: White
Key Advantage: Higher purity and friability for precision surface preparation
Electrically fused from Bayer alumina. Higher purity (99%+ Al₂O₃) with slightly higher hardness but lower toughness than brown aluminum oxide. Specifically designed for grinding and blasting steels with great hardness.
Best Applications:
Silicon Carbide - Black
Best for: Non-ferrous metals and non-metallic materials
Hardness: 9.0-9.5 Mohs (Knoop 3100-3280 kg/mm²)
Color: Crystalline Black
Key Advantage: Sharp and brittle - self-sharpening during use
Brittle, angular grain structure creates fresh cutting edges during use. Excellent electrical and heat conductivity. Suitable for specialty blasting of materials with low tensile strength - not recommended for high-tensile strength steels.
Best Applications:
Common Blasting Applications
Aluminum oxide and silicon carbide blasting media are used across a wide range of surface preparation and finishing applications:
Surface Preparation
Industrial Finishing
Industries Served
Technical Comparison
Physical Properties
PROPERTY | BROWN ALUMINUM OXIDE | WHITE ALUMINUM OXIDE | BLACK SILICON CARBIDE |
|---|---|---|---|
Color | Dark Brown | White | Crystalline Black |
Hardness (Knoop) | ~2000–2100 kg/mm² | ~2100–2200 kg/mm² | 3100-3280 kg/mm² |
Hardness (Mohs) | 9.0 | 9.0+ | 9.0-9.5 |
Bulk Density (typical) | 1750-1900 kg/m³ | 1750-1900 kg/m³ | 1760 kg/m³ |
Particle Specific Gravity | 3.9-4.0 | 3.9-4.0 | 3.2 |
Chemical Composition
COMPONENT | BROWN ALUMINUM OXIDE | WHITE ALUMINUM OXIDE | BLACK SILICON CARBIDE |
|---|---|---|---|
Al₂O₃ | 95.00% | 99.30% | - |
Crystalline SiC | - | - | 98.10% |
Fe₂O₃ | <1.00% | 0.04% | 0.12% |
SiO₂ | 0.72% | 0.07% | 0.50% |
TiO₂ | 3.00% | - | - |
CaO | 0.30% | 0.04% | - |
MgO | - | - | - |
Na₂O | - | <0.5% | - |
Free Silicon | - | - | 0.25% |
Free Carbon | - | - | 0.12% |
Other Oxides | - | - | 0.30% |
Why Choose Aluminum Oxide for Blasting
Silica-Free Safety
Aluminum oxide blasting media contains no free silica, making it a safer alternative to silica-based abrasives for surface preparation work.
Economical Reuse
Both aluminum oxide and silicon carbide can be reused multiple times in closed-system blasting operations, reducing material costs and waste.
Consistent Performance
High hardness, chemical stability, and heat resistance ensure predictable cutting action and surface finish across repeated blasting cycles.
Versatile Applications
Suitable for surface preparation, cleaning, deburring, anchor pattern creation, and matte finish production on a wide range of materials.
Reliable Anchor Patterns
Sharp, angular grain structure creates consistent anchor patterns for optimal coating adhesion on metal surfaces.
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