Binderless Polycrystalline Cubic Boron Nitride for Iron Cutting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Cubic boron nitride sintered bodies used for cutting iron-based materials at high speed suffer from chipping and cracking due to increased thermal load, leading to reduced tool life.

Innovation Solution

Manufacture polycrystalline cubic boron nitride with a high cubic boron nitride content (>98.5% by volume), low dislocation density (≤8×10^15/m^2), and controlled grain size (0.1-0.5 µm) using a specific heating and pressurizing process, avoiding binders and maintaining stability through controlled temperature and pressure conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If binder is added to cubic boron nitride sintered bodies, then ease of manufacture is improved, but strength and thermal diffusivity deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidstrength
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and removes the binder component from the cubic boron nitride sintered body composition. By producing a binderless sintered body through direct sintering of cubic boron nitride particles under ultra-high pressure and temperature, the harmful binder is completely eliminated, thereby improving strength and thermal diffusivity without compromising manufacturability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Ease of manufacture

If binder is added to cubic boron nitride sintered bodies, then ease of manufacture is improved, but thermal diffusivity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidthermal diffusivity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and removes the binder component from the cubic boron nitride sintered body composition. By producing a binderless sintered body through direct sintering of cubic boron nitride particles under ultra-high pressure and temperature, the harmful binder is completely eliminated, thereby improving thermal diffusivity while maintaining ease of manufacture through the direct sintering process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Productivity

If cutting speed is increased for iron-based materials, then productivity is improved, but thermal load increases causing chipping and cracking

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveproductivityVSAvoidthermal load
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the material parameters of the cutting tool by eliminating the binder and achieving a homogeneous cubic boron nitride structure with controlled grain size distribution. This parameter change results in superior thermal conductivity and mechanical strength, enabling the tool to withstand the thermal load generated during high-speed cutting of iron-based materials without chipping or cracking

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The resulting polycrystalline cubic boron nitride achieves enhanced strength, toughness, and thermal stability, resulting in extended tool life during high-speed processing of iron-based materials.

Implementation Method 1

a hexagonal boron nitride is directly converted into a cubic boron nitride under ultra-high pressure and ultra-high temperature

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhase transition: Phase Change

Implementation Method 2

heating and pressurizing the hexagonal boron nitride powder to a temperature greater than or equal to 1900°C and less than or equal to 2400°C and to a pressure greater than or equal to 8 GPa

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 3

heating and pressurizing the hexagonal boron nitride powder to a temperature greater than or equal to 1900°C and less than or equal to 2400°C and to a pressure greater than or equal to 8 GPa

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressurization: Pressurisation

Data Source

PatentEP3858803B1Polycrystalline cubic boron nitride
Publication Date: 2025.09.24 SUMITOMO ELECTRIC HARDMETAL CORP
  • EP3858803B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3858803B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3858803B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

There is provided a polycrystalline cubic boron nitride containing a cubic boron nitride at a content greater than or equal to 98.5% by volume, the polycrystalline cubic boron nitride having a dislocation density less than or equal to 8×1015/m2.