Diamond Paste / Suspension / Lubricant for Polishing Machines

MSE Supplies offers Diamond Paste / Suspension / Lubricant from Metkon Technologies. Utilizing the optimal abrasive for sample preparation makes the difference between a mediocre sample and an impeccable one. As previously discussed, high quality specimen preparation is a critical phase of many analytical and transformative processes. If a polishing or grinding cloth / pad contains no abrasive internally, one suitable for the materials at hand will need to be applied. 

Two crystalline forms of diamond are used for metallographic preparation: Polycrystalline (P) & Monocrystalline (M). Polycrystalline diamonds feature many small cutting faces that remove lots of material while inflicting shallow scratches. P-type diamonds are well-suited to create finely-polished samples. Monocrystalline diamonds have fewer faces and therefore less cutting edges. M-type diamonds can remove large amounts of material with a variable scratch pattern, meaning they are fit for general-purpose polishing. The image below illustrates their different qualities.

(Sharpening Supplies 2022)

When selecting an abrasive to use with a polishing / grinding cloth, it should be kept in mind that some combinations will grant better results than others. The MSE Supplies website has tables which detail the cloth/abrasive pairs we believe work best together; this information can be seen on our "Cloths for Grinding and Polishing" store page. An example is displayed below.

If you'd like to try your own combination for your application, we'd encourage you to first inquire with us to see if we can offer any assistance and suggestions for your selection.

References

1. "Grinding & Polishing". https://www.metkon.com/Applications-Details/62/grinding-&-polishing/
2. "DMT Diamond Sharpeners: Quality and Value" https://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/Why-Use-DMT-Diamond-Sharpeners-W15.aspx