A seal system (200, 300, 400, 500) for an apparatus that includes a rotatable portion and a stationary portion extending over at least a portion of the rotatable portion, the stationary portion includes an inner surface, the rotatable portion includes at least one airfoil assembly coupled thereto, wherein the at least one airfoil assembly includes a substrate, said seal system (200, 300, 400, 500) comprising: an abradable portion comprising at least one abradable layer of an abradable material formed over at least a portion of the inner surface; and an abrading portion disposed over at least a portion of the substrate, said abrading portion comprising: at least one abrading layer formed on at least a portion of said substrate; and a plurality of abrasive particles embedded within said at least one abrading layer, characterized in that said plurality of abrasive particles comprises at least one of: all of one of tantalum carbide (TaC), aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3), and ziconia (ZrO 2); cubic boron nitride (cBN) and Al 2 O 3 in predetermined ratios; cBN, Al 2 O 3, and ZrO 2 in predetermined ratios; Al 2 O 3 and ZrO 2 fused together in predetermined ratios; and TaC and Al 2 O 3 in predetermined ratios, wherein said abradable portion comprises at least one of: dense vertically-cracked yttria-stabilized zirconia having a porosity value of less than 5%; and dense vertically-cracked dysprosia-stabilized zirconia (DySZ) having a porosity value of less than 5%. an abradable portion comprising at least one abradable layer of an abradable material formed over at least a portion of the inner surface; and an abrading portion disposed over at least a portion of the substrate, said abrading portion comprising: at least one abrading layer formed on at least a portion of said substrate; and a plurality of abrasive particles embedded within said at least one abrading layer, characterized in that said plurality of abrasive particles comprises at least one of: all of one of tantalum carbide (TaC), aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3), and ziconia (ZrO 2); cubic boron nitride (cBN) and Al 2 O 3 in predetermined ratios; cBN, Al 2 O 3, and ZrO 2 in predetermined ratios; Al 2 O 3 and ZrO 2 fused together in predetermined ratios; and TaC and Al 2 O 3 in predetermined ratios, at least one abrading layer formed on at least a portion of said substrate; and a plurality of abrasive particles embedded within said at least one abrading layer, characterized in that said plurality of abrasive particles comprises at least one of: all of one of tantalum carbide (TaC), aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3), and ziconia (ZrO 2); cubic boron nitride (cBN) and Al 2 O 3 in predetermined ratios; cBN, Al 2 O 3, and ZrO 2 in predetermined ratios; Al 2 O 3 and ZrO 2 fused together in predetermined ratios; and TaC and Al 2 O 3 in predetermined ratios, all of one of tantalum carbide (TaC), aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3), and ziconia (ZrO 2); cubic boron nitride (cBN) and Al 2 O 3 in predetermined ratios; cBN, Al 2 O 3, and ZrO 2 in predetermined ratios; Al 2 O 3 and ZrO 2 fused together in predetermined ratios; and TaC and Al 2 O 3 in predetermined ratios, wherein said abradable portion comprises at least one of: dense vertically-cracked yttria-stabilized zirconia having a porosity value of less than 5%; and dense vertically-cracked dysprosia-stabilized zirconia (DySZ) having a porosity value of less than 5%. dense vertically-cracked yttria-stabilized zirconia having a porosity value of less than 5%; and dense vertically-cracked dysprosia-stabilized zirconia (DySZ) having a porosity value of less than 5%.