Development of Co-Cu-Sn Based Diamond Segments for Marble Cutting by Powder Metallurgy

Abstract

In this project, diamond tips were developed for the purpose of cutting marble stone. For achieving the best cutting parameters, it is necessary to optimize different factors during the development of diamond tips like composition, sintering temperature, sintering environment and sintering time etc. Therefore, different compositions, sintering temperatures and sintering environments were tested in this project and the conditions for manufacturing the best diamond tip were determined. Firstly, different samples with copper, cobalt and diamond as the constituent materials were prepared. Copper varied from 30 vol % to 50 vol %. Cobalt varied from 30 vol % to 50 vol %. Diamond remained constant at 20 vol %. Then, samples with bronze in place of copper were prepared with the same compositions. Three sets of six samples each were prepared. All powder samples were mixed in ball milling machine and then pressed inside a steel die. One set of samples was then sintered at 700 °C in air, the other set of samples was sintered at 900 °C in argon and the third set of samples was sintered at 1000 °C in argon. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), EDX, density measurements, hardness and wear testing of all samples were performed. It was noted that density of the samples increases with increasing copper percentage and sintering temperature while it decreases with increasing bronze percentage. Similarly, hardness and wear resistance decreases with increasing copper and bronze percentages and it increases with increasing cobalt percentage and sintering temperature.

In this project, diamond tips were developed for the purpose of cutting marble stone. For achieving the best cutting parameters, it is necessary to optimize different factors during the development of diamond tips like composition, sintering temperature, sintering environment and sintering time etc. Therefore, different compositions, sintering temperatures and sintering environments were tested in this project and the conditions for manufacturing the best diamond tip were determined. Firstly, different samples with copper, cobalt and diamond as the constituent materials were prepared. Copper varied from 30 vol % to 50 vol %. Cobalt varied from 30 vol % to 50 vol %. Diamond remained constant at 20 vol %. Then, samples with bronze in place of copper were prepared with the same compositions. Three sets of six samples each were prepared. All powder samples were mixed in ball milling machine and then pressed inside a steel die. One set of samples was then sintered at 700 °C in air, the other set of samples was sintered at 900 °C in argon and the third set of samples was sintered at 1000 °C in argon. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), EDX, density measurements, hardness and wear testing of all samples were performed. It was noted that density of the samples increases with increasing copper percentage and sintering temperature while it decreases with increasing bronze percentage. Similarly, hardness and wear resistance decreases with increasing copper and bronze percentages and it increases with increasing cobalt percentage and sintering temperature.