At present it is known that diamond tools degrade with time as it is normally used at high temperatures. One of the questions the authors like to answer in this study is whether thermally induced problems in diamond tool arise as a result of the temperature value itself? They raised the temperature of the diamond tool sample by laser heating it. Initially, the PCD layer was made of C and trace amount of Co. They observed the increment of Co and W on the PCD layer, and observed the formation of microstructure oxides at the surface of the PCD layer. They have successfully raised the temperature of the diamond tool sample and measure it, and successfully observed the increment of Co and W content on the PCD layer. The authors successfully observed the formation of microstructure oxides on the PCD layer, and showed that the temperature in the diamond tool is sufficient to radically alter its physical and chemical properties, resulting in critical fracture. Future work will be to determine by how much Co and W migrate on the PCD layer during the raising of the diamond tool temperature.
Reference:
Masina, B.N., Forbes, A., Mwakikunga, B.W. et al. 2011. Diffusion of Co and W in diamond tool induced by 10.6 µm CO2 laser radiation. 4th South African Conference on Photonics Materials, Kariega Game Reserve, South Africa, 2-6 May 2011
Masina, B. N., Forbes, A., Mwakikunga, B. W., & Bodkin, R. (2011). Diffusion of Co and W in diamond tool induced by 10.6 µm CO2 laser radiation. http://hdl.handle.net/10204/9195
Masina, Bathusile N, Andrew Forbes, Bonex W Mwakikunga, and R Bodkin. "Diffusion of Co and W in diamond tool induced by 10.6 µm CO2 laser radiation." (2011): http://hdl.handle.net/10204/9195
Masina BN, Forbes A, Mwakikunga BW, Bodkin R, Diffusion of Co and W in diamond tool induced by 10.6 µm CO2 laser radiation; 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10204/9195 .
