Method for making microabrasive tools
AssigneeSaint-Gobain Abrasives Technology Company
InventorsKenneth E. Manwiller, Anne B. Hardy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A microabrasive tool is formed from a slurry including liquid, abrasive grains, a bonding material, and a polymer—for example, gellan gum. The slurry is cast in a mold, and the polymer is ionically cross-linked. Cross-linking the polymer fixes the structure of the bonding material and the abrasive grains, wherein the abrasive grains are dispersed substantially uniformly within the bonding material. The ionically cross-linked structure of bonding material and abrasive grains can then be fired to form a microabrasive tool.
Claims16
A method for making a microabrasive tool, comprising the steps of:
- a) casting a slurry comprising a liquid, abrasive grains, a vitreous bond material, a polysaccharide and at least one cross-linking agent into a mold to form a structure of a green cast article;
- b) jonically cross-linking the polysaccharide within the mold, wherein the ionically cross-linked polysaccharide fixes the structure of the green cast article;
- and
- c) firing the green cast article to yield the microabrasive tool.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.