Content and Composition of Intracrystalline Inclusions and Impurities in Low-Strength Diamond Grinding Powders
摘要
The surface state of low-strength diamond grinding powders synthesized in the Ni–Mn–C system has been studied, and the content and composition of their intracrystalline inclusions and impurities before and after thermochemical treatment in an alkaline melt have been determined. It has been established that, in the incombustible residue of diamond powders, carbon solvent alloy elements are predominant to attain from 93.3 to 58.5% from the total quantity. In the initial fractions in the inclusions and impurities of diamond powders, the ratio between Ni and Mn remains at the level typical for the growth medium composition, but the incombustible residue in magnetic fractions after thermochemical treatment contains more Mn. The content of carbon solvent alloy elements (Mn + Ni) decreases almost by two times in the initial fraction, by 2% in the magnetic fraction, and approximately by 17% in the nonmagnetic fraction. According to X-ray spectral microanalysis data, after treatment at a temperature of 800°С, the first appearing on the surface of diamond crystals are inclusions containing Ni and a small quantity of Mn to be followed by Mn enriched solvent alloy inclusions. The appearance of such inclusions and the sequence of their exposure on the surface is explained by the specifics in the distribution of components in the phases of Ni–Mn–C alloys and the capillary extrusion phenomenon, which is also observed on the surface of diamond crystals synthesized in other growth media after annealing. It has been shown that, after thermochemical treatment in an alkaline melt, the incombustible residue decreases approximately by two times, the incombustible residue content decreases approximately by two times, and the magnetic properties of diamond powders weaken by 1.4 times due to the dissolution of separated inclusions. The diamond crystals containing a lower quantity of intracrystalline impurities and inclusions have a higher strength. The total content of inclusions and impurities in the incombustible residues of diamond grinding powders before and after thermochemical treatment decreases by 2.4 times, and the content of carbon solvent alloy elements in them becomes 1.6 times lower. The content and composition of intracrystalline inclusions in diamond powder samples can be more precisely determined after thermochemical treatment.