Synthesis and characterization of molybdenum/phenolic resin composites binding with aluminum nitride particles for diamond cutters

•Thermal properties of phenolic resin are enhanced efficiently by molybdenum oxide bond.•Hardness of the resin composite is sufficient as a binder of diamond cutter.•Diamond cutters are molded using the hybrid and diamond grains after sintering.•Damage of the diamond cutters after quartz cutting is evaluated by edge profile.

Novolac-type bisphenol-F based molybdenum-phenolic resins/silane-modified aluminum nitride (Mo-BPF/m-AlN) composites were successfully prepared. In the preparation process, molybdate reacted with bisphenol-F based phenolic resins (BPF) to form a low cross-linked Mo-BPF with new MoO bonds which were confirmed by the FTIR and XPS spectra. Simultaneously, a special silane-modified aluminum nitride (m-AlN) was prepared with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) modifier. Then, this m-AlN was fully mixed with Mo-BPF to form Mo-BPF/m-AlN which can be further cured with hexamethylenetetramine at 200 °C. The structure and characterization of BPF, Mo-BPF and Mo-BPF/m-AlN were determined by using FTIR, DSC, DMA, TGA, SEM, mechanical properties and contact angle measurements. SEM photographs show that m-AlN particles are uniformly distributed in the Mo-BPF/m-AlN composites. Also there are no gaps or void between m-AlN and Mo-BPF phases, which implies a strong physical bonding between the two phases. The glass transition temperature, thermal resistance, flexural strength, and hardness of Mo-BPF are respectively higher than those of BPF. This is due to the presence of MoO cross-linking bonds in Mo-BPF. When the m-AlN was additionally incorporated into Mo-BPF, the well-dispersed and well-adhered m-AlN can further promote all the above-mentioned properties of the composites. Typically, the glass transition temperature, decomposition temperature at 5% weight loss and flexural strength of Mo-BPF/m-AlN are 245 °C, 428 °C and 82.7 MPa respectively, which are much higher than the corresponding values of 184 °C, 358 °C and 58.2 MPa for BPF. In addition, the hygroscopic nature of BPF can be inhibited by treating with molybdate or incorporating with m-AlN. This is due to that the m-AlN is hydrophobic and MoO groups in Mo-BPF are more hydrophobic than OH groups in BPF. Furthermore, Mo-BPF/m-AlN was compared with BPF in the performance as a binder for diamond cutting wheels. Mo-BPF/m-AlN is a better binding resin than BPF so the cutting wheel made from the former resin has better cutting quality than that made from the latter resin.