Composition and process for controlling particle size of metal oxides

The milling medium has a hardness on the Mohs scale greater than 6.

A polishing medium comprising:

• a plurality of metal oxide particles and a polishing aid.

A composition of claim 18, wherein the metal oxide is selected from the group consisting of alumina, silica, silica-alumina, titania, ceria, zeolite, molecular sieve, clay, zirconia, yttria, copper oxide, or metal doped forms thereof, and mixtures thereof.

A composition of claim 17, wherein the metal oxide has a surface area of no more than 350 m2/g, more preferably of no more than 250 m2/g, even more preferably of no more than 220 m2/g.

A process for producing a polishing medium that can be used to achieve chemical and mechanical polishing of a solid surfaces resulting in:

• (a) smoothness or planarization of a target surface;
• (b) size reduction of target object;
• (c) wherein the target is an article, a particle or a combination of thereof.

A process of claim 22, wherein the polishing rate is at most 1 microns per pass, more preferably at most 0.5 microns per pass, even more preferably at most 0.25 microns per pass.

A process for producing a slurry comprising of:

• a plurality of metal oxide, clay, zeolite, molecular sieve, colloidal binder, or surface modifier:
• (a) wherein the oxide is selected from the group of alumina, alumina-silica, calcium oxide, ceria, iron oxide, magnesia, manganese oxide, zirconia, yttria, copper oxide, mixed metal oxide, or combination of thereof;
• (b) a milling medium is selected from the group of refractory materials including but not limited to alumina, silica, titania, ceria, zirconia, carbides, nitrides, mixed oxides or stabilized metal oxides.