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About Diamonds
What Exactly is a diamond?
Diamonds are made of carbon atoms arranged in a cubic crystal structure and is a naturally ocurring solid (a mineral).
The diamond is so popular for this applications, because it is
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the best thermal conductor
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the hardest naturally occuring solid
On the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, diamond has a hardness of 10. It‘s cutting resistance is 140 times greater than that of corundum (ruby & sapphire). However, the hardness of a diamond varies in its different crystal directions. This makes it possible to cut a diamond with another diamond.
Concentration
The symbol ”C“ describes diamond concentration in the cutting segment.
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C 60 = Diamond particles make up 15% of the cutting segment
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C 100 = Diamond particles make up 25% of the cutting segment
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C 200 = Diamond particles make up 50% of the cutting segment
C 200 is only a theoretical value. A bonding matrix with a diamond concentration of 50% would actually fail to hold the diamonds in place.
Hardness
When comparing the hardness of different materials it becomes obvious that diamond is by far the hardest.
To compensate for diamond‘s limited toughness various bonding agents are mixed together with the diamond crystals to form the bonding matrix of the cutting segments. The actual composition of the bond will
depend on the intended application.
The bonding matrix is designed to offer optimum cutting performance.
Synthetic vs. Natural Diamond
Despite high costs (due to a highly sophisticated manufacturing process) synthetic diamond is the preferred choice for use in cutting tools.
Which advantages does synthetic diamond offer?
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It allows for a precisely controlled production of specific grain sizes.
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It allows for the production of purpose-adapted crystal shapes.
Different sizes of diamonds are essential to optimize the functionality and performance of each segment.
Diamond Grain Quality
The percentage of cube surface and the number of vertices substantially influence functionality and cutting performance.
Cube surface in % Number of vertices.
Bonding Matrix
The diamond bonding process plays a crucial role in the production of compact and purpose-adapted cutting segments.
The bonding matrix holds the diamond crystals firmly in place.
The matrix consists of
Neutral materials
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iron
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cobalt
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nickel
Hard materials (up to 80%)
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Tungsten carbide
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hard metals
Soft materials
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bronze
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brass