Synthesis of coarse-grain-dispersed nano-polycrystalline cubic boron nitride by direct transformation under ultrahigh pressure

•Single-phase polycrystalline cBN (PcBN) was synthesized at 1900 °C or higher.•Nano-polycrystalline cBN (NPcBN) with a mean grain size smaller than 100 nm was produced at 1950 °C or lower.•NPcBN having a unique microstructure of dispersed coarse grains in a fine polycrystal structure was produced at 1900-1950 °C.•We found out that NPcBN having a Knoop hardness of 54.7 GPa could be synthesized at 1950 °C.

Using a turbostratic pyrolytic boron nitride produced by a chemical vapor deposition process as a starting material, we conducted experiments for synthesizing polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PcBN) at a temperature of 1600-2600 °C and pressure of 25 GPa with a multi-anvil high-pressure apparatus. Moreover, we evaluated the microstructure and hardness characteristics of the synthesized PcBN. The results showed that a complete single-phase PcBN without residual wurtzite BN was produced at 1900 °C or higher and a nano-polycrystalline cBN (NPcBN) having a mean grain size smaller than 100 nm could be synthesized at a temperature of 1950 °C or lower under a pressure of 25 GPa. Furthermore, we found that a single-phase NPcBN (CGD-NPcBN) having a characteristic microstructure of dispersed relatively coarse grains in a fine polycrystalline structure, which was harder than 53.5 GPa in Knoop hardness, was produced at a temperature range of 1900-1950 °C. In particular, at 1950 °C, CGD-NPcBN having a Knoop hardness of 54.7 GPa, which is 25% higher than that of the hardest binderless PcBN tool currently in practical use, can be synthesized. In addition, we verified that the Knoop hardness of the single-phase PcBN with a uniform microstructure increased with decreasing mean grain size, which complied with the Hall-Petch relationship.

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