PACE Technologies

Precision Alumina Abrasives

Technical Information

Precision Surface Finishing Applications

Alumina Polishing Abrasives

There are a number of different types of alumina polishing abrasives. These abrasive are classified by there manufacturing process, crystal structure (hardness) and there classification process. The main types of aluminas produced for polishing are either calicned or polycrystalline aluminas. Calcined powders can also be characterized as either fused, levigated or plately alumina depending upon the grain shape, purity and classification process. There is a major difference in the performance between calcined and polycrystalline alumina abrasives, especially for the submicron particle sizes. The two common crystal structures are the harder alpha alumina (mohs hardness 9) and the softer gamma crystal structure (mohs hardness 8).
Alumina / property Crystal structure Shape Particle size pH % solids Specific gravity Hardness Applications Polycrystalline Polycrystalline alpha alumina 0.05 micron 4 and 10 15-25% 1.6 gms/cc (liquid) Knoop 2000 (Mohs 9) pH 4 metal polishing pH 10 ceramic polishing 3.95 gms/cc Knoop 2000 (Mohs 9) -Metal lapping and polishing -Lapping films -Glass lapping 3.95 gms/cc Knoop 2000 (Mohs 9) -Lapping compounds -Wear resistant coating 3.95 gms/cc Mohs 8,9 General purpose alumina -Polishing and buffering abrasive -Additive for heat sinks -Abrasion resistant coatings Calcined Monocrystalline alpha alumina Hexagonal platelets Submicron up to 30 microns 8-11

Inside this brochure: Alumina Polishing Abrasives Calcined and Fussed Alumina Polycrystalline Alumina 1

Specifications

Alumina polishing powders, slurries and suspensions

Product Numbers

Fused Alpha alumina

Levigated Monocrystalline Hexagonal platelets 3-5 micron (air classified) 9.0-10.5

5-70 micron

Considerations for proper Alumina lapping or polishing Particle grit size Alumina hardness Carrier vehicle Polishing pad or lapping surface Applied grinding load Grinding lubricant

Alumina Polishing Abrasives

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Calcined and Fused Alumina

Calcined alumina powders are typically used for metal lapping and polishing, as well as have been the traditional rough and final polishing abrasive for many years and is relatively inexpensive and readily available. Calcined alumina grains consist of single platey crystals, whereas fused alumina is more blocky in shape. A perfect clacined alumina particle would be a six-sided disk, with a thickness of about 1/5 of its diameter. Calcined alumina are typically very pure (>99%) , whereas the purity of fused alumina can vary from i96% to 99+%.. The issue with the calcined powders is the agglomeration issue created by processing these type of aluminas as dry powders creates agglomeration of the particles. For larger particles (>600 grit), the agglomeration is not too much of an issue, however for smaller particles the agglomeration issue can be significant. For example, the agglomerated or standard version of a 0.05 um aluimina crystal can form an agglomerate size as large as 40 um. When polishing hard samples these agglomerates can often be broken down, however for soft materials such as aluminum, copper, zinc, etc. these fine agglomerated abrasives can form large random scratches. Agglomerated vs. Deagglomerated The term agglomeration refers to the electrostatic attraction of small particles to each other. This arises from the fact that all surfaces have an unbalanced surface charge. When the surface area of small alumina particle becomes large compared to its volume, then it becomes nearly impossible to keep the particle from attracting each other in a dry processing state. The term deagglomeration refers to the process by which a dry agglomerated particle is milled or broken down. The process for deagglomeration of dry powders is to blast the agglomerated powder at each other at high velocities, thus breaking down the agglomerate size. The process is only moderately successful.

Calcined Alumina

Fused Alumina

Polishing depends upon the alumina particle shape and purity.

Alumina Polishing Abrasives

Polycrystalline Alumina
Polycrystalline or nanometer alumina is a colloidal alumina processed by a proprietary process which produces a polycrystalline alumina crystal. This processing offers two significant improvements over conventional alumina calcining processes: Tighter more controlled particle size distributions Harder alpha alumina phase 0.20 um polycrystalline alumina A tighter more controlled particle size distribution is a result of less particle aggregation. For example, standard calcined 0.05 um gamma alumina products form aggregate sizes as large as 5 um. These aggregates can be broken down during polishing with harder specimens. However, these large aggregates have been known to cause significant scratching in soft metals such as aluminum, tin, lead, copper and soft steels. Nanometer alumina is specifically milled to produce a much smaller aggregate particle size distribution (<0.5 um). Nanometer alumina is also the harder alpha alumina particle, therefore making it a more efficient cutting abrasive. Thus nanometer alumina is a much more controlled polishing abrasive than calcined gamma alumina. Advantages and Features of Nanometer Alumina Improved surface finishes over gamma alumina Less random scratching Higher cutting rates than gamma alumina Much more uniform surface finish Tighter particle size distributions than gamma alumina Low viscosity for easy dispensing Semi-permanent suspensions

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0.20 um Calcined gamma alumina

Application of Nanometer Alumina The most efficient application is to initially wet the polishing cloth with Nanometer alumina and then to slowly drip or spray the suspension onto the polishing cloth It is recommended that water be continuously applied to the polishing cloth for several seconds prior to completion of the polishing step. This aids in removing the fine particles which may be electrostatically attracted to the specimen surface. This phenomena occurs because of the deagglomeration characteristics of the alumina. Polycrystalline Alumina

Alumina Polishing Abrasives

0.05 m and 0.3 m deagglomerated alumina powders Chemical Analysis Particle size Crystal Form Shape Surface area, m2/gm Hardness, Mohs pH in distilled water Specific gravity 0.05 m Gamma Cubic, deagglomerated 100 8 7.5-8 3.67 gm/cc 0.3 m Alpha Hexagonal, deagglomerated 15 9 7.5-8 3.98 gm/cc Al2O3 Ca Fe K Na Si >98% <5 ppm <10 ppm <60 ppm <20 <45

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0.3 m high density alumina, 0.5 m, 1.0 m, 3 m, 5m alumina Crystal Form Shape Hardness pH (recommended) Specific gravity Monocrystalline alpha alumina Hexagonal platelets, deagglomerated Knoop - 2000 9.0 - 10.5 3.95 gm/cc

Chemical Analysis Al2O3 SiO2 Fe2O3 Na2O TiO2 CaO MgO 99% min. 0.06% max 0.03% max 0.60% max 0.02% max 0.07% max 0.05% max

240, 400, 600 grit alumina powders Crystal Form Shape Hardness pH (recommended) Specific gravity Monocrystalline alpha alumina Hexagonal platelets, deagglomerated Knoop - 2000 9.0 - 10.5 3.95 gm/cc

Chemical Analysis Al2O3 SiO2 Fe2O3 Na2O TiO2 CaO MgO 98.70% min. 0.06% max 0.03% max 0.60%ax 0.02% max 0.07% max 0.05% max

0.05 m Nanometer alumina slurry Crystal Form Size Hardness pH % solids Polycrystalline alpha alumina 0.05 - 0.10 m crystals Knoop - 2000 4 or 10 15% for pH 4 25% for pH 10

NANO alumina suspension Crystal Form Size Hardness pH % solids Alpha alumina 0.05 - 5 m Knoop - 2000 10 20%

Alumina Polishing Abrasives

Product Name Nanometer 0.05 micron alpha alumina (pH 10) Alumina Slurries Catalog Number NA-1005-16 NA-1005-64 NA-1005-128 NA-1020-16 NA-1020-64 NA-1020-128 Alumina Suspensions Catalog Number NANO-1005-06 NANO-1005-128 NANO-1003-06 NANO-1003-128 NANO-1105-06 NANO-1105-128 NANO-1010-06 NANO-1010-128 NANO-1030-06 NANO-1030-128 NANO-1050-06 NANO-1050-128 Fine Alumina Powders Catalog Number ALR-0105-01 ALR-0105-05 ALD-0103B-01 ALD-0103B-05 ALR-0103-01 ALR-0103-05 ALR-1005-01 ALR-1005-05 ALR-1010-01 ALR-1010-05 ALR-1030-01 ALR-1030-05 ALR-1050-01 ALR-1050-05 Coarse Alumina Powders Catalog Number ALR-0240-05 ALR-0400-05 ALR-0600-05 Packaging

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16 oz 64 oz (1/2 gallon) 1 gallon 16 oz 64 oz (1/2 gallon) 1 gallon

Nanometer 0.05 micron alpha alumina (pH 4)

Product Name NANO 0.05 micron suspension NANO 0.30 micron suspension NANO 0.5 micron suspension NANO 1.0 micron suspension NANO 3 micron suspension NANO 5 micron suspension

Packaging 6 oz 1 gallon 6 oz 1 gallon 6 oz 1 gallon 6 oz 1 gallon 6 oz 1 gallon 6 oz 1 gallon

Product Name 0.05 micron deagglomerated alumina powder 0.3 micron deagglomerated alumina powder 0.3 micron high density alumina powder 0.5 micron alumina powder 1.0 micron alumina powder 3 micron alumina powder 5 micron alumina powder

Packaging 1 lb 5 lbs 1 lb 5 lbs 1 lb 5 lbs 1 lb 5 lbs 1 lb 5 lbs 1 lb 5 lbs 1 lb 5 lbs

Product Name 240 grit alumina powder 400 grit alumina powder 600 grit alumina powder

Packaging 5 lbs 5 lbs 5 lbs