What Materials Are Commonly Used to Make PCD Cutters?

Ⅰ. Characteristics of PCD Cutter

The PCD cutting tools have excellent hardness and wear resistance, as well as a low coefficient of friction, a high modulus of elasticity, high thermal conductivity, a low coefficient of thermal expansion, and a low affinity for non-ferrous metals, among other features. The raw materials used are likewise diverse, allowing for the fulfillment of a variety of requirements.

Ⅱ. The substance used in PCD cutters

1. PCD diamond cutter made of natural single-crystal diamonds

The hardest material in nature is a natural monocrystalline diamond anisotropic single crystal, which has a hardness of HV9000-10000 and has excellent wear resistance. Molding knife PCD cutter cutting can keep the size consistent for a long period, resulting in a long cutter life.

2. Man-made single-crystal diamond PCD cutter

The market can acquire artificial single crystal diamond as PCD cutting tools material to make industrial grade single crystal diamond material. This material has a slightly lower hardness than genuine diamond, but none of its other qualities are comparable.

The size of its solution direction becomes regulated and homogeneous as a result of the artificial fabrication. The artificial single crystal diamond size has been able to reach 8mm thanks to the advancement of high temperature and high pressure technology.

3. PCD cutter (Artificial)

The diamond micro powder with solvent polymerization and polycrystalline material, often formed to carbide as a whole round piece, known as polycrystalline diamond composite piece, are all examples of artificial polycrystalline diamond manufactured under high temperature and pressure.

The thickness of the diamond matrix determines the thickness of the composite sheet, which ranges from 1.6mm to 3.2mm to 4.8mm. Polycrystalline diamond has a thickness of around 0.5mm.

Because the diamond particles contain some residual bonded metal and graphite, the wear resistance and life of the PCD cutting tools will be reduced if the bonded metal is agglomerated or distributed in a vein-like pattern. Furthermore, there is a residual amount of soluble metal, and soluble metal and diamond surface direct contact reduces (PDC) antioxidant capacity and cutter heat resistance temperature, causing cutting performance of molding cutters to be unstable.