Granular silicon carbide abrasive grain coated with refractory material, method of making the same and articles made therewith

An abrasive article containing granular abrasive material wherein said granular abrasive material comprises granular abrasive material comprising silicon carbide, each particle thereof characterized by being at least partially coated with an integral, durable, adherent coating consisting essentially of hard refractory material comprising metal nitride or carbide.

Method for producing granular abrasive material comprising:

• a. heating particles of silicon carbide to a temperature conducive to the formation of a hard refractory coating thereon from gaseous reactants;
• and
• b. contacting the heated particles with a gaseous atmosphere containing a diluting gas and said reactants in an amount, at a temperature and for a time sufficient to provide a hard refractory coating of about 0.02 to 10% of the average particle diameter on at least a portion of the surface of each of said particles of a coating material selected from the group consisting essentially of hard refractory material comprising metal nitride or carbide.