What is Aluminum Oxide Abrasive Used For?

1. Introduction

Aluminum oxide abrasive is one of the most commonly used synthetic abrasives in the world. It offers exceptional hardness, toughness, and versatility, making it suitable for grinding, sanding, polishing, and blasting in industries from metal fabrication to electronics. Henan Yumo New Materials produces both white fused alumina and brown fused alumina, each with unique performance advantages.

2. What is Aluminum Oxide Abrasive?

Aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) is produced by fusing bauxite in an electric arc furnace at temperatures above 2000 °C, then cooling, crushing, and sizing the grains.

Main Types

• White Fused Alumina (WFA) – High purity, sharp cutting, for precision work.

• Brown Fused Alumina (BFA) – Tough, durable, for heavy-duty grinding and blasting.

• Pink Aluminum Oxide – With chromium oxide, adds toughness for tool sharpening.

• Black Aluminum Oxide – Lower purity, cost-effective blasting media.

3. Key Properties

• Mohs Hardness: 9 (extremely hard)

• High Melting Point: ~2050 °C

• Excellent Wear Resistance

• Thermal Stability for high-temperature operations

• Chemical Inertness to resist corrosion

4. Major Uses of Aluminum Oxide Abrasive

4.1 Metalworking

• Grinding ferrous and stainless steels

• Surface prep before welding or coating

• Deburring machined components

• Polishing and finishing tools

4.2 Woodworking

• Sanding hardwoods and softwoods

• Furniture finishing

• Coating removal

4.3 Coated Abrasives

Main mineral in sandpaper, sanding belts, and discs due to long life and fracture resistance.

4.4 Refractory Applications

• Furnace linings

• Kiln furniture

• Steel ladle refractories

4.5 Surface Preparation & Blasting

BFA is common for:

• Removing rust, scale, and paint

• Preparing surfaces for painting

• Ship hull cleaning

4.6 Lapping & Polishing

WFA excels in:

• Optical glass polishing

• Semiconductor wafer finishing

• Stainless steel polishing

4.7 Ceramics & Glass

• Grinding ceramic tiles

• Edge finishing glass products

4.8 Electronics

• Wafer polishing

• PCB surface cleaning

4.9 Aerospace & Defense

• Turbine blade finishing

• High-precision component prep

5. Advantages Over Other Abrasives

Compared to silicon carbide and garnet, aluminum oxide offers better durability, versatility, and cost efficiency, making it the go-to choice for most industrial grinding and finishing tasks.

6. Selecting the Right Aluminum Oxide Abrasive

Consider:

• Material type (metal, wood, ceramic)

• Desired finish (coarse removal vs fine polish)

• Application method (bonded wheel, coated abrasive, blasting)

7. Henan Yumo New Materials – Your Supplier

We offer:

• Consistent quality control

• Competitive pricing

• Tailored specifications for different industries

• Global delivery and technical support

8. Conclusion

Aluminum oxide abrasives deliver long life, high performance, and application flexibility across many industries. From heavy-duty grinding to ultra-fine polishing, Henan Yumo New Materials has the right grade to meet your needs.

📩 Contact Us
Henan Yumo New Materials
Email: sales1@yumoabrasive.com
Website: www.yumoabrasive.com