Wear performance of polycrystalline diamond-tantalum composites tested against granite

The ceramics machining industry faces several challenges due to the elevated difficulty of cutting hard and brittle products. In this context, polycrystalline diamond (PCD) tools are one of the few materials that can perform this function. However, the development and improvement of such tools are necessary to promote longer durability and cost minimization. This work aimed to investigate the performance of PCD-Ta composites on granite rock machining. The products were prepared using different Ta concentrations and tribologically tested in a pin-ondisc configuration. The overall outcomes indicated that all compositions experienced a Coefficient of Friction (CoF) increase at the beginning of experiments, followed by a values stabilization period (steady-state). Scanning Electron Micrographs (SEM) showed that abrasion was the main wear mechanism of rocks, and some cracks were also observed due to the brittleness of granite. Products with lower Ta quantity also promoted more intense wear on granite discs, resulting from the elevated percentage of hard phase (PCD) on composites. Furthermore, all pins exhibited high integrity and a low binder loss after the tests under the proposed conditions.