Silicon carbide (SiC), also known as carborundum,
is a semiconductor containing silicon and carbon.
It occurs in nature as the extremely rare mineral moissanite.
Synthetic SiC powder has been mass-produced since 1893 for use as an abrasive.
Grains of silicon carbide can be bonded together
by sintering to form very hard ceramics
that are widely used in applications requiring high endurance,
such as car brakes, car clutches and ceramic plates in bulletproof vests.
Large single crystals of silicon carbide can be grown
by the Lely method and they can be cut into gems known as synthetic moissanite.
Electronic applications of silicon carbide such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs)
and detectors in early radios were first demonstrated around 1907.
SiC is used in semiconductor electronics devices
that operate at high temperatures or high voltages, or both.