Superabrasive Powders
Advanced Abrasives Services for Superabrasive Powders
At Advanced Abrasives, we offer more than just diamond powders — we provide full-service superabrasive solutions backed by data, technical guidance, and quality control. Our expertise allows us to support clients from formulation to delivery with precision and consistency.
Our Services Include
- Micronization & Particle Size Control: Each synthetic diamond or cBN crystal is processed through proprietary micronizing systems to achieve exact particle size distributions. This precision allows for repeatable surface finish results in every batch.
- Custom Powder Formulation: We tailor diamond powders and coated abrasives to your specifications, including grain shape, carrier compatibility, and concentration levels.
- Quality Analysis & Certification: All powders undergo advanced laboratory testing for shape, crystal integrity, and purity using SEM, TEM, and ion chromatography.
- Batch Data & Traceability: Each processed lot includes recorded information on conductivity, elemental content, and PSD curves for full traceability and calibration.
- Technical Consultation: Our specialists assist with powder selection for grinding wheels, metallography, and semiconductor manufacturing, ensuring optimal performance for your tools and machines.
- Packaging & Logistics: Powders are packaged in secure vials or sealed containers to maintain cleanliness during transport and storage.
Mesh to Micron: Quality Control and Customized Processing
Our proprietary Mesh to Micron process maintains exacting standards for consistency. Every stage is monitored with state-of-the-art measurement tools and quality verification. Continuous testing confirms that particle size, morphology, and crystal composition remain within specification.
Measurements include:
- Particle size distribution analysis
- Shape characterization under light and electron microscopes
- Surface cleanliness verified by electrical conductivity
- Elemental analysis to detect impurities or residual catalysts
Each data set is retained for statistical review and process improvement. This allows us to continuously refine our manufacturing and meet the most demanding customer standards across industrial polishing, metallography, and semiconductor applications.
Particle Size Measurement
Particle Size Distribution (PSD) is a defining feature of our superabrasive powders. The PSD directly impacts surface finish, material removal rate, and packing density in a polishing or grinding system. We utilize a combination of laser diffraction, Coulter counter, and image analysis to verify each powder batch before shipment.
Shape Characterization
Every batch of diamond powder is examined under high-resolution optical and electron microscopes to evaluate shape uniformity. Particle geometry affects cutting aggressiveness and fluid dispersion in oil or water-based systems. Our consistent morphology control contributes to superior polishing results across metals, ceramics, and semiconductor substrates.
Conductivity & Elemental Purity
Surface purity is essential for superior bonding and dispersion. We measure electrical conductivity to verify cleanliness and use proprietary acid leaching and ICP methods to remove impurities. This guarantees that the diamond surface is free of residual catalysts that could interfere with metallographic performance or crystal adhesion in composite tools.
Elemental Analysis
Elemental impurities occur naturally in both synthetic and natural diamond powders. Advanced Abrasives uses Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) and DC Arc analysis to identify and control these impurities at the parts-per-million level.
ICP analysis determines the level of surface cleanliness by using an acid leaching technique that collects residual elements from the diamond surface. DC Arc analysis converts the crystal structure into ash, liberating trapped metallic catalysts for detection. These results allow our technicians to maintain consistent, low-impurity diamond powders that perform reliably across demanding grinding, polishing, and metallography applications.
Ion Analysis
Ion Chromatography enables the separation of ions and polar molecules based on charge and molecular properties. Elevated ion concentrations on the crystal surface can negatively affect dispersion, bond retention, and surface finish quality.
Advanced Abrasives employs proprietary cleaning and filtration processes using high-purity water to remove unwanted ionic contamination. This process stabilizes adhesion in metal and ceramic systems, reduces corrosion risk in oil-based slurries, and supports predictable results across diamond, cBN, and coated powders.
Diamond Powder
Diamond powder is the foundation of high-precision grinding and polishing. Each particle harnesses the natural hardness and thermal conductivity of diamond to produce a controlled surface finish and optimal material removal rate. Our powders are available in both natural and synthetic diamond variants, supporting everything from optical glass polishing to tool fabrication.
These powders are also ideal for petroleum and oil-based slurry systems, offering excellent compatibility and dispersion. Available in various carat grades and micron sizes, each product is precision-packaged in vials for laboratory and industrial use.
cBNP Cubic Boron Nitride Powder
Cubic Boron Nitride Powder (cBNP) rivals diamond in hardness but provides superior stability when working with ferrous materials. It excels in grinding hardened steels, cast irons, and high-nickel alloys. With exceptional thermal endurance and a unique crystal structure, cBNP maintains cutting efficiency under high-speed conditions where synthetic diamond might degrade.
Coated Powders – MDP, RDP & cBNP
Our coated superabrasive powders — Metal Diamond Powder (MDP), Resin Diamond Powder (RDP), and coated cBNP — deliver enhanced bonding performance. The thin metallic or resin coating improves particle adhesion within grinding wheels, lapping compounds, and tool coatings. Each formulation offers enhanced thermal dissipation, abrasion control, and dispersion within the desired carrier.
Premium Sintering Feedstock
Our sintering feedstock combines carefully balanced particle size distribution and purity to produce PCD and PCBN compacts with outstanding strength, hardness, and wear resistance. These materials support industries that rely on high-precision cutting tools, from automotive machining to aerospace manufacturing.
Custom Tailored Powders
Advanced Abrasives provides fully customized powder solutions to match unique process requirements. Whether optimizing for silicon carbide grinding, precision metallography, or ceramic polishing, our engineers collaborate with customers to create specialized diamond powder blends that maximize efficiency and tool longevity.
Advantages of Our Custom Powder Services
- Optimized surface finish for your metal or composite application
- Tailored PSD curves for uniform performance
- Compatibility with specific grinding wheel and lapping systems
- Access to complete particle and shape data for process validation
Contact Advanced Abrasives for Your Next Project
Discover the highest standard in diamond powder technology. From micronized synthetic diamond to customized coated abrasives, Advanced Abrasives delivers products engineered for accuracy, reliability, and performance. Contact our team today to discuss your polishing, grinding, or metallography application and request a quote for your next project.
Particle Size Measurement
Particle Size Distribution (PSD) is one of the most critical characteristics of our superabrasive products. The PSD affects the material removal rate, surface finish, and particle packing density. Advanced Abrasives incorporates many different techniques and instruments to measure and track distribution characteristics to ensure product consistency.
Shape Characterization
We incorporate a qualitative technique using a light optical microscope with image analysis software on every batch we micronize. When detailed high-magnification imaging is required, state-of-the-art SEM or TEM units are employed.
Conductivity
Electrical conductivity is used to measure crystal surface purity due to dissolved solids. To ensure the highest possible bond retention during sintering, the surface of the diamond must be immaculate. Advanced Abrasives uses a proprietary technique to produce an ultra-clean surface regardless of size or shape.
Elemental Analysis
Elemental impurities reside in all synthetic and natural diamonds. Advanced Abrasives uses Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) and DC Arc analysis to measure and so control these impurities, allowing us to offer consistent, low-impurity diamond products for the most demanding of our customer’s applications*. The ICP analysis reveals the level of surface cleanliness by incorporating an acid leaching technique, which collects and then determines the elemental residuals on the crystal surfaces. DC Arc analysis converts the diamond crystals to ash and liberates the previously trapped unconverted elemental catalysts for measurement in the arc.
Ion Analysis
Ion Chromatography is a process that allows the separation of ions and polar molecules based on the charge properties of the molecules. High ions on the crystal surface can negatively affect bond retention/compatibility, dispersion, and surface finish. Advanced Abrasives uses proprietary cleaning techniques along with high-purity water to eliminate high ion concentrations.
Diamond Powder
Diamond powder is a microscopic marvel that harnesses the hardness of diamonds, delivering exceptional cutting, grinding, and polishing performance across industries. Our diamond powder excels in precision machining, offering unmatched material removal rates and surface finish quality. It’s the go-to choice for processing hard materials like ceramics, carbides, and composites. The powder’s thermal stability and wear resistance make it ideal for high-stress applications. Learn more about diamond powder from Advanced Abrasives!
cBNP Cubic Boron Nitride Powder
Cubic Boron Nitride Powder (cBNP) represents a leap forward in superabrasive technology. This synthetic material rivals diamond in hardness but outperforms it when working with ferrous metals. cBNP excels in high-temperature applications where diamond might graphitize or react chemically. It’s the optimal choice for grinding hardened steels, superalloys, and cast irons. Our cBNP offers exceptional thermal stability, allowing for higher cutting speeds and increased productivity in your operations. Its unique crystal structure provides self-sharpening properties, maintaining cutting efficiency throughout the tool’s life.
Coated Powders – MDP, RDP & cBNP
Our coated powders – Metal Diamond Powder (MDP), Resin Diamond Powder (RDP), and coated Cubic Boron Nitride Powder (cBNP) – take superabrasive performance to new heights. These innovative products feature a thin, uniform coating that enhances the powder’s properties and expands its applications. The coating improves particle retention in bond systems, leading to longer-lasting tools and more consistent performance. MDP excels in metal-bonded tools, offering superior heat dissipation and bond adhesion. RDP is optimized for resin-bonded applications, providing excellent dispersion and wear characteristics. Coated cBNP combines the benefits of cBNP with improved bonding capabilities.
Premium Sintering Feedstock
Our premium sintering feedstock is the foundation for creating high-performance polycrystalline diamond (PCD) and polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN) materials. This carefully curated blend of superabrasive powders and sintering aids is designed to produce superior compact blanks and cutting tools. The feedstock’s precise particle size distribution and composition optimize the sintering process, resulting in materials with exceptional wear resistance, thermal stability, and toughness.
Custom Tailored Powders
Our custom-tailored powders represent the pinnacle of superabrasive technology. We work closely with you to develop unique powder formulations that address your particular challenges and optimize your processes. This might involve creating custom particle size distributions, developing specialized coatings, or engineering novel powder blends. Our expertise in superabrasive technology allows us to push the boundaries of what’s possible, delivering powders that outperform standard offerings. You’ll gain a competitive edge, solving unique manufacturing challenges and unlocking new levels of efficiency and quality in your operations.