Introduction to Several Types of Abrasives for Diamond Grinding Wheels

Diamond grinding wheels are among the more commonly used grinding wheels. The selection of abrasives for diamond grinding wheels is also quite strict. Below is a brief introduction to several commonly used diamond grinding wheel abrasives.
1. Chromium corundum: The hardness of chromium corundum is similar to that of white corundum, but it has better toughness (between brown corundum and white corundum). Therefore, the durability and grinding efficiency of the grinding wheel are slightly higher than that of white corundum. At the same time, after dressing, it can maintain the uniform height of the grinding particle cutting edges on the surface of the grinding wheel for a longer time (i.e., the cutting edges of the grinding particles are on the same circumferential plane). Thus, under the same conditions, the surface finish of workpieces ground with chromium corundum wheels is slightly higher than that of those ground with white corundum wheels. Due to these characteristics, chromium corundum is suitable for grinding various hardened high-strength steels and precision instruments and parts that require high surface finish. Additionally, it is also suitable for profile grinding and sharpening tools. Chromium corundum is relatively expensive and should only be used for precision grinding.
2. Single crystal corundum (GD) and microcrystalline corundum (GW): Single crystal corundum has high hardness and toughness, and it performs well against breakage during grinding. It is used for grinding stainless steel and high-speed steel with high toughness. It works better on high-hardness steels. Microcrystalline corundum has high strength and good toughness, and its self-sharpening ability is better than that of single crystal corundum, making it suitable for grinding stainless steel, bearing steel, and special cast iron, among others. It can also be used for high finish grinding.
3. Black silicon carbide: This abrasive is black in color, and there are also deep blue variants. The grinding wheels made with ceramic bonding agents are also black. Black silicon carbide has a hardness higher than any type of corundum abrasive, with sharp angular particles, but it has low toughness and is brittle, unable to withstand the cutting pressure of tougher materials. Therefore, it is suitable for grinding materials with low tensile strength or soft materials.
4. Green silicon carbide: This abrasive is green in color, and the grinding wheels made with it are also green. The hardness of green silicon carbide is the same as that of black silicon carbide, but it is more brittle and is mainly used for grinding hard alloys and brittle materials such as optical glass.
5. Diamond: Diamond has a hardness greater than that of all other abrasives and is currently known as the hardest material. It has excellent cutting performance but is very expensive, mainly used for processing high-hardness materials that are difficult to process with other abrasives. The grinding wheels made with this abrasive are called diamond grinding wheels, which have many different characteristics compared to those made with corundum and silicon carbide abrasives.