silicon carbide

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

silicon carbide
    n 1: an extremely hard blue-black crystalline compound (SiC)
         used as an abrasive and a heat refractory material;
         crystals of silicon carbide can be used as semiconductors

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Carborundum \Car`bo*run"dum\ (k[aum]r`b[-o]*r[u^]n"d[u^]m), [a
   trade name, from Carbon + corundum.]
   A beautiful crystalline compound, {silicon carbide} ({SiC}),
   consisting of carbon and silicon in combination; -- also
   called {carbon silicide}. It is made by heating carbon and
   sand together in an electric furnace. The commercial article
   is dark-colored and iridescent. It is harder than emery, and
   is used as an abrasive.
   [Webster 1913 Suppl.] carborundum cloth