Polishing of polycrystalline diamond by the technique of dynamic friction. Part 2: Material removal mechanism

This paper investigates the material removal mechanisms of PCD using the dynamic friction polishing technique. Scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray, X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy were used to identify the mechanisms by analyzing the specimen surfaces and debris produced by polishing. It was found that the material removal occurred in a rather complex way, which can be a chemo-mechanical process, diffusion, oxidization and evaporation, or their combinations.