Elastic properties of polycrystalline cubic boron nitride and diamond by dynamic resonance measurements

The elastic properties of ceramic materials are important to their performance in severe abrasion and wear applications and also provide a useful, quantitative measure of quality. We have measured the Young's modulus E, shear modulus G, and Poisson's ratio v of several commercial polycrystalline cubic boron nitride and diamond products, in the form of free-standing disks, using the dynamic resonance method. The latter method is accurate and fast enough for routine quality control. Measurements on polycrystalline c-BN yielded values of E, G, and v in the ranges of 630-770 GPa, 270-340 GPa, and 0.14-0.18, respectively, depending on the volume fraction of superabrasive, binder phase and microstructure. As a point of comparison, the orientation-averaged values of E, G, and v for pure, equiaxed, polycrystalline c-BN are calculated as 909 GPa, 405 GPa, and 0.12, respectively. Measured values of E, G, and v for sintered diamond lay in the ranges of 915-990 GPa, 415-450 GPa, and 0.10-0.11, respectively. The modulus results are compared to selected additional material properties. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.