POLYCRYSTALLINE MICRON DIAMOND POWDERS
Supersyndia® - polycrystalline micron diamond powder
Amorphous, natural polycrystalline diamond (carbonado) is very rare. In the early 1970’s, the DuPont company succeeded in producing a synthetic version of polycrystalline diamond. This is synthesized by explosion in approx. 100 microseconds under an enormous pressure of 500 Kbar and a temperature of 1200 °C. The graphite is converted into diamond and each particle consists of countless micro-crystals, approx. 20 nanometres in size. In a long process, the diamond is then extracted from the molten metal, cleaned and purified from residual graphite, before it is crushed and graded into the Supersyndia® micron powder sizes.
Supersyndia® diamond particles have a specific surface 2 to 3 times higher than monocrystalline diamond, with numerous contact points and cutting edges. The polycrystalline nature of this diamond results in exceptional cutting power in lapping and polishing applications, allowing a higher workload and superior material removal rates.
SSX is supplied in precision graded distributions, with a relatively compact particle shape, to fulfil the most demanding production requirements such as lapping and polishing monocrystalline ceramics (sapphire, ruby), as well as sintered ceramics (zirconium, aluminium oxide), at high working pressures, i.e. faster without any loss in surface finish. Due to its high cutting power, Supersyndia® diamond remains unchallenged in the lapping and polishing of composite materials, on which it produces very flat surfaces, without any unevenness between hard and soft areas.
SSX Datasheet
SSO has a somewhat wider and more aggressive distribution than SSX, which favours material removal rate. It is suitable for roughing and semi-finishing operations, when high removal rates are preferred. SSO is also suitable for some ‘long cycle’ applications (without continuous abrasive supply) or with soft polishing substrates.
SSO also finds applications in bonded polishing wheels, when a superior surface finish needs to be achieved.
SSO Datasheet
Size Availability
| Median Size (d50) μm |
SSX | Median Size (d50) μm |
SSO | |
| 14.0 | 10-20 | 32 | 20-40 | |
| 11.5 | 10-15 | 17.5 | 12-22 | |
| 9.5 | 8-12 | 13 | 8-16 | |
| 8.0 | 6-10 | 10 | 6-12 | |
| 6.8 | 5.5-8 | 6.3 | 4-8 | |
| 5.7 | 4.5-7 | 5.3 | 3-7 | |
| 4.8 | 4-6 | 4.2 | 2-6 | |
| 4.0 | 3-5 | 3.2 | 2-4 | |
| 3.3 | 2.5-4 | 2.1 | 1-3 | |
| 2.8 | 2.25-3.5 | 1.6 | 0.5-3 | |
| 2.38 | 2-3 | 1.1 | 0-2 | |
| 2.00 | 1.5-2.5 | Submicron | ||
| 1.68 | 1.25-2.25 | 0.55 | 0-1 | |
| 1.41 | 1-2 | 0.30 | 0-0.5 | |
| 1.19 | 1-1.5 | |||
| 1.00 | 0.75-1.25 | |||
| Submicron | ||||
| 0.71 | 0.5-1 | |||
| 0.50 | 0.25-0.75 | |||
| 0.35 | 0.25-0.5 | |||
| 0.21 | 0-0.5 | |||
| 0.125 | 0-0.25 | |||
| 0.09 | 0-0.2 | |||
| 0.075 | 0-0.15 | |||
| 0.050 | 0-0.1 | |||
| 0.025 | 0-0.05 | |||
| 0.018 | 0-0.03 |
These pictures illustrate the fracturing mode of a polycrystalline particle.