Abrasive article and method for making the same

Abstract

An abrasive article comprising a plurality of abrasive grains that are precisely arranged in accordance with a predetermined pattern and are chemically bonded with a matrix material, and a method for the making thereof are disclosed. A coating layer on each of the abrasive grains functions as a bridge to form chemical bonding between the abrasive grains and the matrix material. In addition to a plated material, the matrix material can include a braze, a solder, a sintered material, an infiltrant, an organic material, and a vitrified material. The method for making the abrasive article comprises the steps of: coating abrasive grains with a coating layer that chemically bonds to each of the abrasive grains; arranging the coated abrasive grains in accordance with a predetermined pattern; and chemically bonding the coated abrasive grains with a matrix material.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An abrasive article, comprising a plurality of abrasive grains that are arranged at individually specified positions in accordance with a predetermined pattern, and are chemically bonded with a matrix material that at least partially comprises a plated material. 
     
     
         2 . The abrasive article of  claim 1 , wherein the abrasive grains include at least one member selected from the group consisting of diamond and cubic boron nitride. 
     
     
         3 . The abrasive article of  claim 1 , wherein the working surface of the abrasive article has protrusions regularly arranged in accordance with a predetermined pattern, and each of the protrusions is sufficient in size enough to accommodate at least one abrasive grain. 
     
     
         4 . The abrasive article of  claim 3 , wherein the upper surface of each protrusion is substantially flat. 
     
     
         5 . The abrasive article of  claim 3 , wherein the protrusions are sufficient in size enough to accommodate at one smaller protrusion which is sufficient in size enough to accommodate at least one abrasive grain. 
     
     
         6 . The abrasive article of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined pattern defines at least one member selected from the group consisting of abrasive grain position, abrasive grain orientation, abrasive grain size, and abrasive grain protrusion height above the working surface of the abrasive article. 
     
     
         7 . The abrasive article of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined pattern is a three dimensional pattern. 
     
     
         8 . The abrasive article of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined pattern is a member selected from the group consisting of a substantially uniform pattern, a non-uniform pattern providing at least one specified area that wears more slowly than a remainder, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The abrasive article of  claim 1 , wherein the abrasive grains on the working surface of the abrasive article are oriented in a direction with their sharp points extending away from the working surface of the abrasive article. 
     
     
         10 . The abrasive article of  claim 1 , wherein the abrasive grains on the working surface of the abrasive article protrude above the working surface of the abrasive article to a substantially uniform height. 
     
     
         11 . The abrasive article of  claim 1 , wherein the matrix material comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of an electroplated material, an electroless plated material, a braze, a solder, a sintered material, an infiltrant, an organic material, and a vitrified material. 
     
     
         12 . The abrasive article of  claim 1 , wherein the matrix material has a layered structure. 
     
     
         13 . The abrasive article of  claim 1 , wherein the matrix material is discontinuous. 
     
     
         14 . The abrasive article of  claim 1 , wherein the matrix material includes a filler material selected from the group consisting of a ceramic powder, a fiber, a mesh, a sheet having blind holes or through holes, a solid lubricant and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The abrasive article of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of abrasive grains are bonded to at least one portion of a substrate. 
     
     
         16 . The abrasive article of  claim 15 , wherein the substrate surface has concave portions selected from the group consisting of blind holes, through holes, grooves, spaces between projected portions, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The abrasive article of  claim 15 , wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of a flexible substrate, a perforated substrate, a mesh, a platable substrate, a substrate having a substantially flat surface, and a substrate having a contoured surface. 
     
     
         18 . The abrasive article of  claim 1 , which is a tool or a segment of a tool, wherein the tool is selected from the group consisting of a CMP pad conditioner, a core drill bit for construction or exploration, a wire saw bead, a reciprocating tool, a flexible tool, and a profiler. 
     
     
         19 . A method for making an abrasive article, comprising the steps of:
 a) providing a plurality of abrasive grains;   b) coating each of the plurality of abrasive grains with a coating layer that chemically bonds to each of the plurality of abrasive grains;   c) arranging the plurality of individually coated abrasive grains on or in the surface of a substrate at individually specified positions in accordance with a predetermined pattern; and   d) chemically bonding the plurality of individually coated abrasive grains with a matrix material through a bonding process involving plating.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the abrasive grains include at least one member selected from the group consisting of diamond and cubic boron nitride. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the step of coating each of the plurality of abrasive grains is carried out by a method selected from the group consisting of chemical vapor deposition (CVD), physical vapor deposition (PVD), electroless plating, electroplating, sintering, sputtering, brazing, salt bath deposition, thermal pyrosis, a sol-gel process, a fluidized bed process, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the coating layer on the abrasive grains includes at least one material selected from the group consisting of a metal, an alloy, a metallic composite material, a metal oxide, a metal oxide precursor, and an organometallic coupling agent. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the coating layer on the abrasive grains has a layered structure. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the coating layer on the abrasive grains comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of a wetting layer and a layer having a rough surface. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the substrate surface has concave portions selected from the group consisting of blind holes, through holes, grooves, spaces between projected portions, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the concave portions have at least one capability selected from the group consisting of positioning abrasive grains and orienting abrasive grains. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the concave portions are formed by a method selected from the group consisting of mechanical process, chemical process, electrochemical process, photochemical process, molding process, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of a flexible substrate, a perforated substrate, a mesh, a chemically soluble substrate, a soft deformable substrate, a platable substrate, a substrate having a substantially flat surface, and a substrate having contoured surface. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein arranging the plurality of individually coated abrasive grains includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of positioning the abrasive grains having a specified size at individually specified positions, orienting the abrasive grains, and controlling the abrasive grains' protrusion height above the working surface of the final abrasive article. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the predetermined pattern is a member selected from the group consisting of a substantially uniform pattern, a non-uniform pattern providing at least one specified area that wears more slowly than a remainder, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the step of arranging the plurality of individually coated abrasive grains is carried out by using a template having a plurality of apertures. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising the step of removing the template mechanically or chemically. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the apertures are formed by a method selected from the group consisting of mechanical process, chemical process, electrochemical process, photochemical process, molding process, screen printing, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the step of arranging the plurality of individually coated abrasive grains is carried out by using adhesive droplets. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the adhesive droplets are formed by a method selected from the group consisting of screen printing, jet printing, using a micro-dosing system, using an array of needles, transferring, spraying, covering or removing unwanted adhesive, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of temporarily affixing the plurality of individually coated abrasive grains to the substrate prior to the bonding process, 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the affixing is accomplished by a method selected from the group consisting of an adhesive, an adhesive containing metal powders or glass powders, a force of magnetism, friction, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the step of arranging the plurality of individually coated abrasive grains is carried out by transferring a plurality of individually coated abrasive grains that is temporarily affixed to a transfer, to the substrate. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the plurality of individually coated abrasive grains is temporarily affixed to the transfer by a method selected from the group consisting of continuous adhesive, discontinuous adhesive, a force of magnetism, friction, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the transfer is selected from the group consisting of a flexible transfer, a perforated transfer, a mesh, a transparent transfer, a chemically soluble transfer, a soft deformable transfer, a transfer having a substantially flat surface, and a transfer having a contoured surface. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the transfer surface has concave portions selected from the group consisting of blind holes, through holes, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the concave portions have at least one capability selected from the group consisting of positioning abrasive grains and orienting abrasive grains. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising the step of removing the transfer mechanically or chemically. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the plating is selected for the group consisting of electroplating, electroless plating, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the bonding process is an electroplating process. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the plating is conducted by applying a current selected from the group consisting of direct current, pulse current, reverse current, pulse reverse current, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the plating is conducted in a manner that deposition on the tip portions of the abrasive grains is limited. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the limitation of deposition is accomplished by an insulating material positioned above the tips of the abrasive grains. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the insulating material is selected from the group consisting of a continuous material, a discontinuous material, a mesh, and a perforated material. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the bonding process is a multi-step process and the plating involved is designated to initially bond the plurality of individually coated abrasive grains to the substrate, prior to further bonding of the abrasive grains. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein the further bonding of the abrasive grains is accomplished by a method selected from the group consisting of a second plating, soldering, brazing, welding, thermal spraying, spraying forming, laser cladding, hot dipping, sol-gel process, electrophoretic deposition, vitrifying, curing, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 50 , further comprising the step of attaching the substrate mounted with the plurality of individually coated abrasive grains through the plating, to a second substrate, prior to further bonding of the abrasive grains. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the bonding process is a multi-step process and the plating involved is designated to further bond the plurality of individually coated abrasive grains that have been initially bonded to the substrate. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein the plurality of individually coated abrasive grains are initially bonded to the substrate by a method selected from the group consisting of brazing, soldering, welding, spraying, plasma spraying, gluing, laser cladding, hot dipping, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 53 , further comprising the step of attaching the substrate mounted with the plurality of individually coated abrasive grains to a second substrate, prior to the plating. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of repeating the steps (a) to (d) to form a multi-layer body with the surface of a formed layer acting as the substrate for a new layer. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of assembling two or more pieces of the substrates mounted with the plurality of individually coated abrasive grains to form a multi-layer body. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein the multi-layer body is consolidated by a method selected from the group consisting of sintering, infiltration, sol-gel process, hot pressing, gluing, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein the substrate material and the plated material are refractory. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of a flexible substrate, a mesh, and a substrate having a plurality of blind holes or through holes. 
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the matrix material includes a filler material. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of heat treatment. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of applying a relatively thin layer over the top of the matrix material, wherein the thin layer material is selected from the group consisting of a friction reducing material, a lubricating material, an anti-corrosive material, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of removing the substrate. 
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 64 , further comprising the step of coupling a backing to the abrasive article. 
     
     
         66 . A method for making an abrasive article, comprising the steps of:
 a) providing a plurality of abrasive grains;   b) coating each of the plurality of abrasive grains with a coating layer that chemically bonds to each of the plurality of abrasive grains;   c) arranging the plurality of individually coated abrasive grains on or in the surface of a porous substrate at individually specified positions in accordance with a predetermined pattern, wherein the porous substrate comprises a plurality of openings;   d) affixing the plurality of individually coated abrasive grains to the porous substrate so that the arrangement of the abrasive grains can be substantially maintained during later process; and   e) chemically bonding the plurality of individually coated abrasive grains with a matrix material through a bonding process, during which the abrasive grains substantially remain affixed to the porous substrate.   
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 66 , wherein the porous substrate is selected from the group consisting of a flexible substrate, a mesh, and a substrate having a plurality of blind holes or through holes. 
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 66 , wherein the porous substrate material and the material designated to affix the plurality of individually coated abrasive grains to the porous substrate are refractory. 
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 66 , wherein the affixing step is accomplished by a method selected from the group consisting of electroplating, electroless plating, soldering, brazing, welding, spraying, plasma spraying, laser cladding, hot dipping, sol-gel, electrophoretic deposition, vitrifying, gluing, a force of magnetism, forcing the abrasive grains into the openings of porous substrate, deforming the openings of the substrate, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 66 , wherein the bonding step is accomplished by a method selected from the group consisting of electroplating, electroless plating, soldering, brazing, welding, thermal spraying, spraying forming, laser cladding, hot dipping, sol-gel, electrophoretic deposition, vitrifying, curing, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         71 . The method of  claim 66 , further comprising the step of attaching the porous substrate affixed with the plurality of individually coated abrasive grains to a second substrate, prior to the bonding process. 
     
     
         72 . The method of  claim 66 , further comprising the step of assembling two or more pieces of the porous substrates affixed with the plurality of individually coated abrasive grains, to form a multi-layer body prior to the bonding process. 
     
     
         73 . The method of  claim 72 , wherein the bonding process is accomplished by a method selected from the group consisting of sintering, infiltration, sol-gel process, hot pressing, gluing, and combinations thereof.