~ a = = ~ ~ nN THE PATENTS ACT 1970 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION SECTION 10 PROCESS OF MANUFACTURE OF ABRASIVE GRAINS FOR PROVIDING @ UNIFORM, HARD, SURFACE THEREON CARBORUNDUM UNIVERSAL LIMTTED. TIRUVOTTIYUR, CHENNA, 699019, TAMIL NADU. INDIA, @ COMPANY DULY ORGANISED AND EXISTING UNDER THE LAWS OF THE UNION OF INDIA. THE FOLLOWING SF IFICATION PARTICULARLY DESCRIBES AND ASCERTAINS THE NATURE OF THIS INVENTION AND THE MANNER IN WHICH IT IS TO BE PERFORMEDThis invention relates to a process of manufacture of abrasive grains for providing a uniform, hard, surface thereon, leading to delaved fracture and, therefore, enhanced life of abrasive wheels made from such arains Coating of abrasive grains with chemicals, using binders, is known to the art, US Patent No. of 24th October 1950 discloses the use of a temporary binder for coating powdered binding material (frit? and the required oxide on to the grain surface. However, this process results in a non-uniform coating which tends to peel off in use. Furthermore, SiC grains cannot be treated by this process since frit reacts with Sic. In the process proposed herein, abrasive grains are chemically modified to provide a uniform, hard, surface of enhanced service life. No temporary binder is used: instead, one of the rea ants used is in liquid form ensuring better adhesion and uniform coating. The process of manufacture of abrasive grains forproviding @ uniform, hard surface thereon, according to this invention, comprises the steps of wetting the said grains with phosphoric acid (up te 7% by weight of the grains) } adding and mixing therewith a solid component containing powdered fines selected from alumina and aluminous compounds; and firing the same, thereafter, between 300 deg. C to 700 deg. C for a peried up to 2 hours, before sieving the grains to break down lumps, if any. any form of phosphoric acid may be used. The alumina may be finely divided calcined alumina, fine abrasive alumina grains or other aluminium compounds. Optionally, the solid component also contains powdered fines selected from ides, such as, iron oxide, chromium oxide. The addition of these substances serves as a grinding aid and improves the grinding performance of the ultimate product, namely, an abrasive wheel.Examples of abrasive grains are those of alumina. aluminous compounds, SiC and zirconia. The grains are wetted with the liquid camponent (phosphoric acid) ina suitable mixer. The liquid component is added up to 7% (by weight of grain? depending on grain surface area available. The percentage will be more far larger surface area / and finer orit sizes. The ponder component is sieved through fine mesh to avoid lumps. If two components are to be used, they are mixed in the required proportions and sieved into a uniform blend. This powder component is added to the wetted grains in the « 1. The powder component can be used in the proportion 2:1 to 7:1 to the weight of the liquid component depending on the thickness of the coating (mare the quantity of the powder, more the thickness of the coating).Dependina on the type of mixer, assessment of the uniformity of mixina, mixing time may be increased af necessary. The coated arains are loaded on trays and fired in a furnace at 308 dea.C to 780 dea.C preferably at 550 dea.C for 2 hours. After firina. the arains are sieved through coarse meshes to break down lumps, if any. The arains so treated are now ready for use. EXAMPLE 1 19 ka. of alumina grains (Grit 24) of friability 35% is charced into a mixer. 4% (of 10 ka of phosphoric acid is added and mixed. € blend consisting of iron oxide and alumina abrasive fines in the ratio 60:40 is prepared. 10% (of 10 ka) of this blend is charaed into the mixer and all J to run. The arain is then discharaed on to travs and loaded in an electric furnace for firing at 698 dea. C for 2 hours. After firina the friability is found to be 18% which is a clear indication . of improvement in breakdownCharacteristics of the grains. Comparative characteristi Property Uncoated Coated Coated (Old Method Friability 35% 18% 30% Sulphur Content 608 ppm EXAMPLE TI Green SiC grit was treated with phosphoric acid (5% by weight of the grains) and mixed. Alumina fines in the proportion 4:1 were then added and mixed. The grains are fired at 500 deg.C for two hours. After firang, the treated grains were made into abrasive wheels of 180 mm dia. in the nown way, The wheels were evaluated in surface grinding operations and compared with the performance of standard wheels of uncoated grains.S.No. Wheel Type Metal Removed Wheel Wear = GR gm (gm) 1 Without grain 27.47 o.15 185.15 coating ” with grain coating 30.52 2.08 381.50 The results show a positive increas in the wheel life by a Clear reduction of wheel wear while maintaining the same amount of material removal. Abrasive grains manufactured by the process propo: J herein are well suited for use in vitrified, resinoid and rubber wheels. The terms and expressions in this specification are of description and not of limitation, there being nointention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features illustrated and described, but it is understood that various other modes of carrying out the process proposed herein are possible without departing from the scope and ambit of this invention. Our co-pending Application No. 2173 MAS 97 relates to a process of manufacture of abrasive grains at ambient temperature for providing a uniform, hard surface thereon.