Superfinishing Characteristic of Superabrasive Stone Containing BaSO₄ Abrasive

Abstract

One of the effective methods for obtaining an ultra-precision surface is utilization of the mechanochemical reaction that occurs at the interface between a stone and a workpiece. In our study, it was confirmed from the thermodynamic analysis that BaSO₄ in contact with steel oxidizes the steel surface. On the basis of this finding, vitrified diamond stones containing BaSO₄ were made experimentally, and their performance was evaluated. As a result, it was found that the diamond stone containing BaSO₄ abrasive is superior in surface finish to conventional diamond stone because of the synergistic effect of the mechanical action of the diamond abrasive and chemical action of the BaSO₄ abrasive.