NANO 1000S Polisher
I
NSTRUCTION
M
ANUAL
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3601 E. 34th St. Tucson, AZ 85713 USA Tel. +1 520-882-6598 Fax +1 520-882-6599 email: pace@metallographic.com W eb: https://www.metallographic.com
Please read this instruction manual carefully and follow all installation, operating and safety guidelines.
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7.5 Final Polishing Abrasives
Final polishing abrasives include fine diamond, alumina and colloidal silica. For
successful microstructural preparation, the polishing abrasive / cloth combination
must be appropriately matched to the specimen hardness, fracture toughness and
corrosion properties of the specimen.
Colloidal Silica
Colloidal silica is a relatively soft abrasive with high chemical activity. It is an
ideal chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) abrasive. The chemical activity of
colloidal silica results from the electrochemical balance (zeta potential) required
to keep very fine particles from aggregating. This chemical balance also
produces a surface phenomenon which makes the specimen surface more
chemically active. This produces a surface layer which can be mechanically
removed by the colloidal silica particles themselves, or by the mechanical
scrubbing of the surface with the polishing pad.
For ceramics, the combination of fine polycrystalline diamond and colloidal
silica improves surface finishes and increases polishing rates.